Imaginary
by LizzehBoo
Summary: It was time I made a choice... Fanon. DracoHarryFriendship, slight RonHermione, slight DracoGinny, SnapeNarcissaLucius in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Imaginary**

_**Chapter One**_

_Now the day has come,  
We are forsaken,  
There's no time anymore.  
Life will pass us by,  
We are forsaken,  
We're the last of our kind.  
-Within Temptation_

(Draco Malfoy)

Imagine yourself standing at a crossroads… well, not really a crossroads, more of an across-the-room. Yes, that's more likely. Anyway, imagine that across this across-the-room, or across the room if you will, that your rival is standing there, staring you down with that same glassy stare you're giving him. Well, I have not imagined it, I have dreamed it. I have dreamed that among so many other things.

I could feel every shift of my hands and feet, hear every water droplet hitting the cobblestone floor, spreading into that centimeter-deep river that was growing ever-so-slowly by the moment, by every little drop. Harry stood there, pale, thin, silent, for once, eyeing me with those emerald-olive-whatever-the-hell-the-color-is eyes. They stood out violently, sharply against the white and black contrast, the only color amongst his features that were actually starting to blend to a not-so-nice shade of gray.

I wasn't really sure what we were doing there.

A hiss filled the air, creeping around the walls, slithering through the room and reverberating amongst the water droplets on the floor. I shifted again, and I could feel that my palms were sweaty yet cold, freezing even. Maybe I was cold all over. My skin did feel a bit clammy. My breath was harsh, coming out in large huffs of air. I hadn't realized it right away, but my chest was hurting from such an effort of breathing, and perhaps my heart had been beating down the inside walls of my chest. Harry seemed to be having the same problem.

"P-Potter," my voice was more hoarse and strained and quiet than I remember. "W-what… is… happening?"

One step. He took one step. Thud. I gazed at that foot as it moved forward and made impact with the floor, almost in slow motion, small drops of water flying into the air and back to the ground in one small wave of movement.

"Malfoy," Harry said, his voice harsh and dark and fearful. "You need… to get out of here… now."

Confusion conquered my apprehension and my voice got stronger. "Potter, what's-"

Out short conversation was cut… well, short, when a large hiss interrupted me and we both almost instinctively turned our heads to the right (well, my right, his left). There was nothing there, but the hiss was enough, that loud whisper that almost said my name. I couldn't have been sure, but something in my heart said that my name had been mentioned. All of the sudden, I realized that it was not water we were standing on, not any longer. The floor was covered in blood. The deep red almost burned into my eyes and I screamed out. I wasn't really sure why. Perhaps it was the fact that I knew it was blood on the floor, or maybe I was questioning where it came from, or perhaps it was just a normal human reaction. I fell. And I was covered in it. It was sickening.

Silence.

I woke up.

Oddly enough, I was much in the shape I was in in the dream I had just had. Clammy, sweaty, frightened. I could hardly breathe. I found myself gasping and wheezing for air and yet I couldn't quite get it in my lungs, except for mere slivers of oxygen that passed through my esophagus that kept me just conscious enough to be completely, utterly miserable. I nearly fell out of my bunk and attempted to pull myself up, but my legs were shaking too badly, and my knees had found a position permanently buckled. I felt like I was choking. Choking on my own throat. I grasped the edge of a chair's seat, jerking the whole time, using it for some sort of support. I didn't know what was happening, but that little murmur, that threatening little sound of my name had me lost and, as you've probably already noticed, choking on my own throat.

"Draco, mate? What's going on over there?"

That voice… it seemed so very far away.

"Mate?" The sound of socked feet softly hitting the floor, and the sound of the footfalls moving closer echoed in my ears as if I wasn't really hearing them. "Something wrong?"

I could feel the fear building, the control I had dissipating into thin air (like the air in my lungs), and my eyes burning. Something was wrong. Something was so wrong. I wanted it to stop. I wanted it all to stop. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and gripped that chair as if it were the only thing holding me on the planet.

I don't remember screaming.

When I came to, Blaise was shaking me, almost a bit too harshly thanks to years of bullying. His almond eyes shone brightly in wand light and worry and fear plagued his features. I was lying flat on the floor now. I was still shaking, jolting a bit more violently every few seconds or so, but I could breathe, and that caught my attention first.

"Blaise," I sputtered, my voice sounding distant, and not like my own.

"Stick with me, mate. You want me to call a nurse?"

I gripped his pajama shirt with my left hand, clenching the cotton fabric between my fingers, and yanked my torso upright.

"Draco, man. Answer me. Say something. What the bloody hell happened to you?"

I looked at him with cloudy eyes. "I… don't… know."

…

I made Blaise promise not to speak of that night. I never saw a nurse. I never asked for help. I called it a night scare and went back to bed, nonchalantly as I could be of course, and it wasn't asked about the next morning, even when I picked at my food during breakfast. Hunger was the last thing on my mind.

In fact, I felt more like throwing up.

The Great Hall's sounds seemed to take forever to reach my ears. I sat in silence for awhile, then felt the chatterboxes of children and the boisterous clinking and clanking of flatware and the like begin to ease into my ears. I hadn't bothered much that morning. My outfit was in disarray and my hair hung lazily in my face. I wasn't much in the mood for morning grooming. My hands were still shaking a bit.

As much as that dream had scared me, however, I couldn't get it out of my head. My mind kept trying to whirl its way around the situation and look at it objectively, but my heart still hammered against my ribs as it flashed in my mind briefly every five minutes or so. I placed my fork next to my plate and stood, deciding that breakfast was done and looked up. My feet didn't carry me away.

Remember that across-the-room thing I told you about? It happened again.

Harry Potter had just stood, though he looked significantly fuller and warmer than I had seen him the night before, and probably a lot better than I looked at the moment too. We met eyes for a moment and the memory of my nightmare haunted me. I turned quickly away, breaking what I supposed was a met glare, or stare, or something of the like, and moving quickly out of the room and into the foyer, which, for the most part, was still pretty much empty. Most were still inside _enjoying_ their breakfast. I heard the doors close behind me and sucked in a deep breath, telling myself that it had only been a dream and that I needed to stop scaring myself.

Those doors creaked open again, however, breaking the silence in one of the most frightening shrieks I'd ever heard from a door. I don't think I've ever noticed how much that door creaked until then. A few students began to pile out and go to class, passing me as if I were nothing but a ghost, looking through me, never at me. My feet didn't want to go any further. My body was focused on something entirely different. Of course, fate often throws things at you. Fate threw people at me.

Hermione Granger really needed to watch where she was walking. I suppose she was too infatuated with one of her friends (I really wasn't sure which by this point) to pay attention. I jolted and nearly swung at her, too riled up from my previous night.

"Watch where you're-" I started, but Harry promptly cut me off in grabbing my wrist before the fist attached to it made contact with Hermione's face.

That touch sent shocks through me, and I'm not speaking in a romantic sense. It hurt. In fact it almost burned into my wrist as if he was too pure to touch my soiled skin. I gasped and yanked my hand away from him. He seemed confused, gazing at me and then his hand and then back to me.

"Suddenly sensitive to touch, eh?" Ron Weasley growled obnoxiously. I had a feeling he was only getting brave to stick up for the girl that could probably kick his arse much quicker than he could kick mine.

I didn't really respond. I just looked at him like he was the crazy one.

"Don't you think it a bit wrong to even _try_ to hit a girl, Malfoy? That's low. Real low." Ron crossed his arms defiantly.

"Ron, shush," Hermione muttered, eyeing me the whole time, much like Harry was doing.

They were making me nervous, so I turned and began to walk away, knowing running would make me all too suspicious. There was sweat running down my back.

"Don't you think you should apologize?"

That little bugger did get awful brave when it came to Hermione. Trying to show off, I suppose.

"Ron, just leave it alone-"

I whirled around quickly, and glowered at him. I felt like I had stabbed right through him with my eyes. He may have even flinched a little.

"I don't know who you think I _am_, boy!" I yelled out, but my voice didn't sound like my own. It came out rough and far more emotional than I had ever spoken. Harry froze and paled significantly. Ron really did flinch this time.

"Hey, Harry, you're going to be late for--" Ginny had come running up and her voice died away as she came into the conversation. "Oh…"

"Malfoy… are you… feeling alright?" Harry finally spoke in a quiet I-think-I-know-who-that-is voice.

The dream flashed again in my head, almost in Technicolor, burning into my fields of vision with brighter than bright colors and whites. I think my head jerked a bit at that point as I felt myself blinded by it. I grasped my forehead as a pain blossomed through it and died away as fast as it came. A worried, frightened silence remained.

"_Decisions… decisions… how very hard they are to make."_

I looked at Harry, even though I didn't want to look at Harry. And I looked at Ginny even though I didn't want to look at Ginny. Was I saying what I was hearing? It didn't sound like me at the time.

_"Can you even begin to understand? It will destroy us. Choose or die. CHOOSE OR DIE. There can only be one victor. Choose or die."_

My eyes were burning, but not as if they were teary. More like they were on fire. They were darting around the room, almost as if I were fighting with wherever they wanted to go. People were gathering around now, stragglers taking their time getting to class, the usual tardy people. And yet I couldn't look them in the eye. Only Harry and Ginny. They were the only ones. Harry took a cautious step forward, never backing down, just like _heroes_ do.

_"You… don't… want… this."_ He said, but it sounded different. _"You must… fight…"_

I jerked again, feeling the situation all too familiar. I wanted to speak, but I couldn't get the words _I_ wanted to come out. It was as if a cold hand had wrapped around me and tied strings. I was a puppet.

_"He… has… arisen,"_ my voice spoke again. _"And none will survive if against. Choose… or die…"_

"Harry," a worried voice cried out softly.

_"Fight this… Malfoy."_ He had closed the small amount of distance between us now, and reached out to me.

He touched two wary fingers to my forehead.

"What are you doing to him, Potter?! Potter!" That was Blaise. I could tell his voice from anywhere, even in the abyss I was currently trapped in.

_"Let… him… go!"_ Harry yelled.

My eyes rolled back in my head as an unimaginable, indescribable pain blasted through every nerve on my body. I screamed out, stumbling backwards into strong arms that had suddenly appeared behind me. Voices were wafting in and out of my psyche, voices of students, voices of teachers, but mainly my own.

_"CHOOSE OR DIE! CHOOSE OR DIE! __**CHOOSE OR DIE!**__"_

It died away in the sound of a hiss. I collapsed to the floor, the arms helping me gently, yet forcefully enough to keep me from getting hurt. As if I wasn't hurt enough already. Then my eyes rolled back forward, glazed and yet somehow clearer than they had been. I remembered to breathe and began gasping for oxygen again. My eyes rolled around the room, confused. I had difficulty remembering what had happened.

"Wh-what?" It came out as more of a breath than a word, but it sounded like me again, so I didn't mind.

My eyes finally landed on Snape, who was above me, but not looking at me - calling for Madam Pomphrey I assume, then swivel over to Harry, who was kneeling on the floor with wide eyes, looking right _at_ me. I gave him a look of what-the-hell-happened--I-know-you-know.

"You were… speaking Parseltongue," he said softly, shocked.

"No, Harry," Ginny said, her quiet, feminine voice standing out among the crowd in an almost icy fashion. "_He_ wasn't saying _anything_."

_**End Chapter One**_

(Author's Notes: Well, I honestly don't know _what_ this is. Seriously. I have no clue. I just saw _Order of the Phoenix _- which is probably the most amazing _Potter_ film so far, and by far my favorite book of the series - and felt like writing something dark. Maybe this'll go somewhere. I like it. 7.11.2007)


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two**_

_I dont mind  
__Falling in the water  
__No one ever notices me  
__I lay under the waves  
-Maroon 5_

(Draco Malfoy)

I believe I passed out not shortly after that, which was not shocking after the distress my body had taken. When I woke up, it was raining. Hard. I could hear it slamming against the high roofs of the castle and running down the windows so quickly that it was difficult to make anything of the outside world except a running blur. Not that I was near the window. I awoke in a bed in the hospital wing, which was almost annoyingly cold, as most medical places had the tendency to be. All the other beds were empty, with the exception of a young Hufflepuff that had apparently had quite an accident in Potions.

My eyes trailed over to the right where the only other figure in the room caught my attention.

"How are you feeling?"

That was asked to anybody in a hospital bed. _Who_ was asking, however, caught me off guard.

"Weasley," I stated gruffly, confused. Of course, I meant the youngest Weasley.

She gave me a dazzling smile that made the tendons in my neck tighten. The last time I'd seen that smile, it'd been far more wicked and for far more evil purposes. Her Bat-Bogey Hex was one to be bargained with.

"Well?"

"Other than the massive headache, these freezing quarters, and… well, you, I suppose I'm alright."

Ginny crossed her arms and her legs, her skirt showing just a little bit of thigh, and stuck out her lower lip slightly. "You're lucky you woke up to me. Harry and I have been taking turns."

"Pardon my rudeness, but what the fuck for?" As you have probably noticed, I wasn't really in the mood to talk to Gryffindors.

"We needed to talk to you," Ginny replied sternly, her playfulness dying into the echoes of the room.

I sat up a bit, yanking my pillow up behind me to be more comfortable. "Alright then. Fine. I'm not going anywhere any time soon. I suppose I can spare a few minutes to hear what you have to say."

She looked around the room as if it were some big secret, which made my situation feel even more grave. Potions-accident-kid was unconscious, and Madam Pomphrey was nowhere to be found, probably off speaking to one of the professors about me. Probably talking to Snape.

"Malfoy…" Ginny said, apprehensive, "We think… that earlier, you were possessed by… You-Know-Who."

I stared at her, waiting for a _Just Kidding_. It never came.

"You see, um… well, both Harry and I know what it feels and looks like. And that's definitely what appeared to be happening to you. Have you… had any dreams? Anything like that?"

I felt defensive. Why the hell did she deserve to know what I was dreaming about. It wasn't her business. Of course, my silence pretty much answered her question and she jumped to conclusions.

"You have, haven't you?" Her chocolate eyes dimmed a little as she focused on me.

"Maybe," I returned, narrowing my eyes.

I was, of course, already frustrating the poor girl, who really didn't deserve my git-ish behavior. Not that that was stopping me of course. It never had before.

"Malfoy, Harry and I want to help you."

"Oh, please!" I exclaimed, suddenly abrasive. "Who's to say I was possessed?"

"_I_ am," Ginny growled, eyes flashing.

"And I'm to trust _your_ judgment?"

Silence followed as her glower made the hairs on my neck prickle.

"Shouldn't you trust me because I'm actually _trying_ to help you?"

I don't know why it pissed me off so much. Perhaps my mind twirled itself around the underlying meaning that she was saying I was too stupid to realize that my mind had been invaded. I wasn't stupid. I was stubborn. Some would say it's the same. I say it's different. But I knew that I hadn't been possessed. Or… not by Voldemort at least. So I felt the need to tell her so.

"I _wasn't_ possessed. Not by… Voldemort at least."

She jumped a bit at the use of the Dark Lord's name. I'm not sure if it scared her, or if she was just surprised that I used it so casually. I expect the latter.

"You don't think Voldemort possessed you?"

I laughed then. I'm not sure why. Nothing that she asked was at all funny.

"No, I don't."

"Why?"

"Because I've been--" I cut myself off and stared at her, shocked at my own insolence. I had almost revealed far too much of my life. "I just know."

(Severus Snape)

Malfoy Manor had always intimidated me inside, though I never showed it when I went there. So when I threw the Floo powder into the fireplace and appeared amongst their valuables, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. After a moment or so, my nerves calmed and I stepped out, dusting myself off. The large, arched door across the room opened slightly and in slid the figure I'd been awaiting. She closed the door softly behind her, platinum blonde locks framing her face gracefully.

"Severus," she greeted with dead blue eyes.

I felt a bit awkward, stepping forward into their study. I never could seem to look Narcissa Malfoy in the eye. They were always much too sad. The woman had the tendency to break my heart every time I saw her. She flowed across the room in a long midnight blue dress and halted before me with those sad eyes.

"You wanted to speak to me?"

"Yes," I said, scratching the back of my neck. "About your son…"

Another reason I hated seeing Narcissa was that every time I came to speak to her, it was usually about Draco, and when it was about Draco, it was usually bad. And every time I mentioned him, I never thought her eyes could get sadder, and yet every time they always did. And every time they broke my heart.

"What happened?"

"Well… I'm being led to believe that he's… being possessed." I had to form my words carefully but bluntly, for any flourishing would only make the situation seem only much more grave. Not that it wasn't already.

Narcissa's hands flew to her mouth in shock and sorrow and those blue eyes got even sadder, panging the strings of my heart to where I almost visibly flinched. She didn't say anything right away. We just stood there in that depressing silence in that depressing room dwelling on that depressing subject. It's strange, I never seem to remember why I hate seeing Malfoy Manor so much until I actually brought the bad news.

"We're… not sure yet," I said, trying to be consoling as I could, but, well, let's face it, I'm not the most comforting individual. "We're hoping to investigate it further…"

She didn't look up, just stared sadly at the floor.

"…Narcissa, if there's anything you can… you can tell us…" I said after a pause, worried she'd never speak again.

Finally, she lifted her head and met my eyes with a cold, glazed expression - the mask she had the tendency to wear. "No. I wish I did, but I don't know. I fancy Lucius is behind it, but I cannot be sure."

I looked around as if checking to see if anyone was around then closed a bit more distance between us, leaning closely to her ear, close enough to feel her breath on my neck. "Narcissa, why are you still doing this? You can get out of this."

A small, pale, delicate hand lifted, pressed against my chest, and pushed me away slowly. "It's not your job to protect me, Severus."

"I know it's not," I said, turning to return to Hogwarts. "It's yours."

(Ginny Weasley)

I couldn't help but feel like I was babysitting.

Then again, I had the tendency to baby-sit almost anyone. Perhaps I was more mature than most people my age. Or… perhaps most people my age had just regressed to stupid. Arguing with Draco Malfoy seemed to prove both theories in my eyes. Of course, I was fighting with my mature side at the moment as well. I wanted to yell at him, slap him, call him an idiot, anything, and yet I attempted to remain patient.

"Please, Malfoy. I only want to help."

It seemed every time I said that phrase, he had a mixture of amusement and anger. He was never sure to laugh or yell. I was pretty sure _I_ wanted to yell.

"Weasley, why don't you just go mind your own damn business. I'll protect my own arse." Draco growled cynically.

"Because, obviously, you _can't_."

"Oh, and I'm sure _you_ have _so_ much more control!" Draco rolled over, signaling the end of conversation.

"Fine," I hissed.

I left the room far more unaccomplished than I had hoped.

(Harry Potter)

"He doesn't think Voldemort possessed him?" I could hide the surprise in my voice. "What the bloody hell does he _think_ happened?"

"I don't know," Ginny said, sighing, looking lethargic. "There's no point in trying now."

"The was no point in trying before," Ron added, tearing into a chocolate frog, hanging over the plush arm chair that Harry was leaning against, his spot being on the floor. "It's Malfoy. What'd you expect? He'd just come running to you for help? Want one, Hermione?" He offered one in her direction.

"No, thanks," she replied, then went back to the main subject, curling her legs up under her in the other armchair. "Harry, if Malfoy's going to fight Voldemort, you'll have to let him know the options are open and he can come to you. And if things get scary enough, more than likely, he will."

Ginny, who was stretched out on the sofa shook her head. "What if he's doing it on purpose? Trying to be the inside man for the Death Eaters?"

"He reacted awful strange, don't you think?"

"Who's to say the boy can't act?" Ron shoved the chocolate frog in his mouth and felt free to talk with his mouth full. "Could be playing us all for fools."

"Or, he could actually be scared," Neville's voice finally piped up, still soft, but deep enough to stand out among almost anyone. He sat near the fireplace, playing with Crookshanks.

"You taking his side, Neville? After all he's done to you?" Ron piped bitterly.

"Well, no," Neville stammered, blinking. "I'm just… everyone gets scared, right?"

Ginny took the moment to make a spider shadow puppet. "Yeah, Ron." She chuckled as he paled, the freckles on his face becoming more vivid.

"Quit it, Ginny!" Ron whined, attempting to look brave. "Bollocks…"

We all giggled amongst ourselves for a moment before finally letting it go for poor Ronald's sake. Ginny finished it with a sarcastic grin that made him pout.

"Anyway, Neville has a point," Hermione said, "But Ron, you have one also." She nodded in his direction. "We're going to have to be cautious."

"So what you're saying is… we _have_ to do something about this… even if it's a trap." Ron sighed. "Don't we _ever_ get a break?"

"Toss me one of those frogs, Ron," I said and he complied. I caught it easily and began unwrapping it. "And no, Ron. Never. We never have." I popped it in my mouth and relished in the sweet chocolaty taste. I smiled at him none the less. "At least it makes life exciting."

"Or _dangerous_," Ron replied, that worried look he always got playing on his features. "Well, I'll let _you_ deal with Malfoy. I have a feeling I won't be much help."

"You'd be trying to hex him before he had a chance to speak," Hermione said, Crookshanks jumping into her lap, tired of playtime.

"No, he'd say something stupid that would piss him off," Ginny argued, leaning on a hand.

"She's right on the money," Ron said, defensive.

"I suppose you're right there, Ginny," Hermione replied, stroking Crookshanks' back affectionately. "But we can't just leave him be. That'd be _more_ dangerous."

I sighed. My head was beginning to hurt. "Let's just sleep on it tonight. We can talk more about it in the morning."

We said our goodnights and stumbled tiredly off to bed.

_**End Chapter Two**_

(7.14.2007)


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three**_

_And I want these words to make things right  
But it's the wrongs that make the words come to life  
"Who does he think he is?"  
If that's the worst you got  
Better put your fingers back to the keys  
-Fall Out Boy_

(Harry Potter)

I'm honestly not sure how I knew I was dreaming. I guess after all the realistic dreams I'd had in my lifetime, I'd grown aware of the vague differences between reality and the dream world.

That, and, well, I was talking to a dead man.

It took a moment to recognize him. I'd met so many people in my lifetime, and lost so many, that it was hard to remember who came from where and died when. But then it clicked in my head as a pair of fiery eyes met mine in a courageous, lion-hearted, fashion. I'd seen him in a portrait in Dumbledore's office.

I was talking to Godric Gryffindor. And I felt need to state that dumbly, as most people in awe like that tend to do.

"You're… Godric Gryffindor."

He gazed at me for a moment, looking me over, then grinned a dazzling smile that warmed the entire room and left me sharing in it.

"Yes, boy, I am. And you are?"

I found it weird that in _my_ dream, he didn't know who _I_ was. "I'm… Harry Potter."

"Harry Potter, eh?" He scratched a stubbly chin, intrigued. "You remind me of me when I was your age."

"Um… thank you… sir."

I couldn't see myself in him. More of Dumbledore. Perhaps it was that feeling of unexplainable awe, no matter how closely connected we were, that washed over me that reminded me of Dumbledore. Maybe it was that feeling that I was in the room with someone powerful. Either way, I hoped that one day, I'd have that effect on someone too.

He eyed me for a moment. "And… what exactly is it that you want?"

I looked around. We were in a castle, obviously. I could tell by the cobblestone floors and the craggy walls, and the overall feeling of extravagance that emanated from every nook and cranny.

"Where… are we?"

He smiled that smile again and I smiled back, almost as if entranced by it. "This is my castle," he said.

"What? But I thought your castle was--"

"Hogwarts?" he laughed, a deep baritone that thawed the air into something much more cozy and inviting. "No, no, my boy. You see, Hogwarts is a school, and I most certainly had to live somewhere _before_ Hogwarts, yeah?"

"Right… so."

"Hogwarts was _once_ my home," the room almost seemed to depress with his mood. "But not any longer."

"What happened?" I paced a little bit, probably just to fill the space between our words, being that the silence could grow to overwhelming in a room so big.

"Ah, Potter, that story is much too long and much to difficult for a lad like you," Gryffindor sighed, looking to a nonexistent window and sounding a lot like Sirius. "Much too difficult."

"I don't think you know what kind of lad I am," I replied, almost humored at myself.

"I will tell you that story at a later date, Harry. Harry? Harry, wake up." His voice began to change from that deep, warm voice to something that sounded a lot like Ron.

It turned out to actually _be_ Ron.

"C'mon, Harry, you'll miss breakfast," Seamus shoved a pillow ever-so-playfully in my face.

I pawed it away and sat up, bleary eyed and feeling like I hadn't slept much at all. I grabbed my glasses, slipped them on, and decided to get up anyway. Judging by the state of my roommates - almost fully dressed and bathed and ready for class - I was very late.

Funny how panic makes you move so much faster…

Anyway, after a very quick shower and dressing, I managed to make it to breakfast on time, but I was already wiped from running everywhere I went. Ron and Hermione had already sat down and Ginny was flipping through the latest issue of the _Prophet_, seeming to be very intrigued.

"Good morning, Harry," Hermione greeted. "You seem a bit frazzled."

"We had to shake him awake this morning," Ron explained for me.

"I was dreaming," I added, taking a seat next to Ginny, across from Hermione.

"Hey, Harry," Ginny said, looking up from the paper, not bothering much of a greeting. "Look at this."

She handed me the newspaper. The front page was stamped with quite a few miniature articles, along with a big picture, but one small article's headline caught my attention, as it had apparently grasped Ginny's.

**STRANGE HAPPENINGS AT HOGWARTS**

Four simple words. Of course, anything strange going on, especially at Hogwarts, usually had something to do with me, so I was concerned.

_Lately, near Hogwarts, strange happenings have been occurring. Snakes have grown in population around the castle to an almost violent number. Animal control teams are being sent to investigate. The keeper of the grounds is also being questioned about the odd increase. Weather has been getting darker around the school as well. Many of our interviewees have said they've noticed "many more clouds, a much more bleak appearance among the skies." Headmaster Dumbledore says "There is nothing to worry about." Some are beginning to wonder though, who might be behind this. Or is it just a strange coincidence? We here at the _Prophet_ plan to keep you posted._

There was a name and a number left at the bottom of the article, but I really didn't have much to ask about it. "Snakes? Weather?"

"I don't know whether to be amused or worried," Ginny said, folding the newspaper and tucking it into her school bag. "Seems the _Prophet_'s running low on article ideas."

"Please, there's a war going on!" Ron exclaimed, sipping some orange juice. "Surely they must have something?"

"They're being paranoid," I said. "They're using the weather and the snakes to scare us."

I pushed my fork around my plate for a moment. "… I hope."

(Draco Malfoy)

I grunted discontentedly. They wouldn't let me leave the hospital wing, and it was irritating me. I wanted to go down to breakfast at least, spend some time with Blaise, try and figure things out, but they refused me. I had to remain where I was. I glowered into the wall across the room, wishing for a book or _something_ to do. Lying around with nothing to do was driving me crazy. Even worse, there was a Quidditch match coming up, and if I was still in the hospital wing when the game arrived, I'd be throwing things.

Luckily, Snape stepped in silently, shutting the door behind him. His white face stood out among his black clothing and tresses, but it wasn't out of the ordinary. Charcoal eyes caught mine intensely.

"Have a nice talk with my mother, Severus?" I crossed my arms, knowing exactly where he'd been - I'd heard him chatting with Madam Pomphrey the morning after I'd been admitted and had shooed Ginny Weasley away.

He smirked. "Snape."

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes. "Well, back to the main point…"

"Your mother's… upset," Snape said, looking like he had difficulty explaining.

"No shock there," I replied, feeling a little bitter, "Not that she'll _do_ anything."

"You know damn well that she can't." Snape pulled a chocolate frog from his robe and tossed it to me, which I happily took. "She's a victim of her own circumstances, as are you."

I sighed. "Yeah, I know. Doesn't stop me from being angry…" I tore open the package and popped the frog in my mouth, glancing at the card. "Another Dumbledore. They make too many of these."

"Tell me about it," Snape sneered, then recomposed himself. "You've had quite an attitude lately, I've heard."

"I'm sick of being in here," I said, pulling my knees up to my chest. "I haven't had a single attack since I was brought here, and yet they're treating me like a crazy person."

"Draco, you-"

"_I wasn't possessed by Voldemort! Get it through your head!_" I cried out suddenly, frustrated. Snape actually seemed taken aback. I ripped my hands through my hair. "I wasn't. I swear. I… I would know!"

"Draco, then what-" Snape was always prone to argue with me, no matter how stubborn I was.

"I don't know. It wasn't him though… It felt… different." I felt the hairs on my arms and neck rise at the thought.

"Draco, has the Dark Lord… been in your head… before?" Snape paled, gazing at me.

"O-only once," I said softly. "And I could feel it completely. I had no control over myself, but I was completely _aware _of what I was doing." I didn't really feel comfortable chatting about the subject, so I changed it. "Potter and the little Weasley have all of the sudden offered their help to me."

"That seems strange," Snape observed.

"Oddly, she seemed serious. I don't think I want their help though. It could be disastrous."

"It's your choice, Draco. I cannot help you. I haven't been able to for awhile. All I can do is be there for you."

"That's all I need," I replied. "I need you to believe me and believe in me. I was not controlled by Voldemort. I just… I want to go back to class and Quidditch. I can't waste my days in this… hell hole any more!"

Snape didn't react; only appeared amused. "You're being overdramatic."

I glared at him for a moment, huffing. "Just get me out of here, okay?"

He pressed to fingers to his forehead. "Fine, fine. I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you."

(Narcissa Malfoy)

I tapped my fingers against the arm of my chair, staring straight into the fire, as if awaiting something. Nothing was coming. I was expecting no one. Still, an impatience had set inside me, a sort of frustrating that coursed through my veins and left me overly nervous and a bit snippy to the orderlies. I don't think they ever thought I meant any of my harsh comments though. Suddenly, the double doors burst open and I stood in shock, feeling my heart practically jump into my throat.

"Cissa."

"Lu-Lucius!" I exclaimed, feeling the shock dwelling away, leaving only a harsh breath in my chest.

He stared down his nose at me. "Something wrong?"

"Our… our son."

His eyebrows raised high on his forehead, making his features stand out sharper than usual, especially in the orange-yellow glow of firelight.

"Do you know… what's been happening… to our son?"

Lucius' eyelids lowered, almost in shame, but he kept his head high, haughty, as he always did. "The Dark Lord… does not speak to me about his plans very often." His eyes shifted away, only for a moment, then returned to their original positions.

"Oh…" I bowed my head, and I could feel the tears coming. I refused to let them fall. "Lucius, he's doing horrible things to our son. You must find out what."

"I… d-do not question the Dark Lord's motives," Lucius growled, his eyes wide and fearful, betraying his tone.

"Lucius, he's your _son_!" I screamed. "Not Lord Voldemort's… _play thing_!"

He clamed his gloved hand over my mouth. "The _Dark Lord_." His glove smelled like leather and blood. I wrinkled my nose at it and pulled away.

"Lucius, please. I want to know what's wrong with Draco."

He sneered at me. "I will not speak out to him, Narcissa. Do you realize what that could _mean_ for us?"

I turned away from him, sickened by his appearance in front of me. "Then run back to him, Lucius, like the scared _dog_ you are," I spat. "Let him tear up your boy's mind."

"Narcissa, I cannot control what the Dark Lord wishes."

"I have nothing more to say to you," I muttered, leaving him alone in the study.

I shut the door behind me quite violently. Then I wiped away my tears.

(Harry Potter)

Malfoy had gotten out of the hospital wing. He'd been deemed well, apparently. How they had come to that conclusion, however, was beyond me. Still, it intrigued me and left him more open to talk to. I wanted to find out what was wrong. Call it curiosity. Of course, when something goes wrong at Hogwarts, as I've stated previously, it usually - no, most likely - involves me. Without him being monitored, I had a chance to get his attention. I caught him after Potions the morning he was released, pulling him aside into a dark corridor, where we would remain unseen. For a moment, he went crazy, thrashing around and attempting to yell. Of course, a simple _Muffliato_ quieted us to the world around us.

"What the hell do you want, Potter?" He jerked his shoulder out of my hand, glowering so sharply, I could make out his irises in the dark.

"I need to talk to you," I said, trying to remain patient, no matter how much he annoyed me.

"Tough."

"Look, we can't be heard. Glare at me all you want, but you need to see _this_." I handed him the _Prophet_.

He glanced over the articles, almost as if he didn't read at all, then his eyes settled on the article that I knew he'd be interested in. He didn't act it, however.

"_Snakes_, Potter? That's it? That's your big fiasco?"

"I just thought it was odd that they started growing in population right about the time you went crazy."

"I'm _not_ crazy." His face darkened. I contemplated taking a step back, but refrained. "And if you _think_ I'm so _crazy_, then why the _hell_ do you think I would know _anything_ about these damn _snakes_!"

"I think they involve you, Malfoy," I said through gritted teeth, frustrated. "Ginny and I have offered our help-"

"I don't _need your help_!" Draco drew his wand, but I was ready and had mine drawn and pointed at him before he even removed it from his pocket.

"You say that, but you don't mean it."

He grew silent, rage simmering below the surface, boiling in his stormy gray eyes. "Potter, if I thought you gave a _damn_ about how I lived my life, I might have been willing to cooperate. But you don't. You're in no danger if you ignore me. So why don't you just go back to the way things were, and stop trying to be the hero. Because I don't need saving. Get it?"

I swallowed heavily, eyes still cast upon the Malfoy boy. "You can't… prove that. Bad things will happen if you ignore this. I know. When Voldemort-"

"**I AM NOT POSSESSED BY VOLDEMORT!**" he screamed suddenly, shocking me so much that I dropped my wand.

And with that, he shot me one last death-glare, spun on his heel, and walked away.

_**End Chapter Three**_

(Author's Notes: Yes, I know this has nothing to do with _Deathly Hallows_. Yes, I know this would never happen. This is definitely fanon. But I still enjoy it, and I hope you do too. 7.27.2007)


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four**_

_I'm not a victim,  
__Till I let you take me down.  
__I'm not a target at the sites of your mercy,  
__I never asked for anything,  
__I'm not asking now.  
__I will not be afraid,  
__I will not be afraid._  
_-Stone Sour_

(Draco Malfoy)

It had been three days since Potter's fervent attempt at getting me to _join his cause_, or whatever the hell he wanted me to do. I wasn't sure if it was because I already loathed him to a high degree, or because I was used to his nagging, but I couldn't seem to hate him any more than I already did. I lay on my bed, staring straight up at the bottom of the bunk above me, mulling it over in my head. Potter knew nothing, and I wasn't about to start chatting. I knew that I was more than likely being watched. Voldemort questioned my loyalty. I wasn't about to start playing friends with Harry Potter. Not at all.

I turned my wand over in my hand. I wasn't really sure why I was looking at it. I guess I had the tendency to roll it over my fingers in boredom or in deep thought. The detail of it always seemed impress me. I jolted out of my daze when the door suddenly slammed open and in ran Blaise Zambini, eyes wild and frightening. I sat up almost immediately, intrigued.

"'Oy, Blaise, you almost gave me a heart attack!" I exclaimed.

He turned to me quickly, as if he hadn't known I was there.

"What's your deal, eh?" I kicked my legs off of the bed, sensing something was wrong. My bare feet hit the floor.

"Dr-Draco, mate… there's… snakes. In the common room. Lots of 'em. It's unreal." Blaise seemed to grow more pallid at the thought.

"Snakes? You sure it's not fake?" I asked, pretending to be amused. Potter's little article was floating in the back of my mind. "How the hell would they get in? Maybe it's a prank."

Blaise gripped my shoulder, his breath coming in deep heaves. "They're… not… fake."

It was then that I noticed the large mark on Blaise's neck, oozing blood that almost looked black against his skin. My heart nearly stopped.

"God damn it, Blaise!" I screamed out, "Why the hell are you up here?" I lowered him to the floor where he sat against my bed. "I'll get you some help, alright?"

Blaise's eyes were starting to roll back in his head. He nodded feebly. I rushed to the door, threw it open, and rushed out into the common room…

Where I froze.

There, in front of me, all over the floor and the furniture, were snakes. Hundreds of them were all gazing at me with beady eyes. Something told me that I was in a bad place. It could have been the snakes on the floor, of course, or it could have been the feeling that they were all after me. I gripped my wand tightly, then held it out to the snakes, praying that I could get them out of the way.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" I shouted.

A few snakes began to drift toward the ceiling. Taking my chances, I jumped the few that had made it to my feet, and rushed across the room, feeling the cold, clammy scales brushing quickly against my ankles, the multiples hisses filling my ears like the sounds of oceans, but much scarier. The moment I reached the portrait hole, I ripped it open and nearly jumped out. My toes caught the edge of the doorframe, so I fell face first into the floor with a horrible crack. I spit blood from my busted lip, stumbled back to my feet and rushed forward.

I wasn't sure where I was going. The hospital wing? Snape? Dumbledore? My feet just carried me along, my lungs on fire. Dinner had ended about fifteen minutes before, so a few students were still in the hall. I made my way by shoving through them, and upon them seeing the snakes - that were following me, of course - they ran. Just before I made it to the stairs, a python wrapped itself around my ankle, and I fell to the floor again. I cursed, banging my fist against the floor. Then, suddenly, the snake was blasted off my leg (quite painfully, I might add), and a fight broke out in the foyer of Hogwarts. Well, if you can all it a fight.

A hand wrapped around my arm tightly and yanked me up with a violent force, leaving it very sore. I jerked my arm back when I was back on my feet. "I do thank you for breaking my arm. I really appreciate that," I growled, dusting off my sweatshirt and jeans and blowing hair out of my face. Then it came back to me and went off on a tangent about Blaise. "Blaise! You have to save Blaise! He's been bitten! He's up in my room _dying_ right now!"

But of course, it was Filch, who seemed to be only interested in attacking the snakes that were on his beloved floor. I stared at him for a moment, noticing he wasn't listening to me, then lashed out, "You _bastard_! My friend is _dying_!"

A sense of panic began to rise in my throat upon truly admitting that Blaise was more than likely lying on our bedroom floor, taking his last breaths of life. I shook Filch's arm, my voice heightening in pitch as I screamed at him.

"_**Help him, damn it! HELP HIM!**_"

"Draco?"

I felt my heart slam against my ribs as Snape stepped out of the Great Hall, followed by McGonagall and Dumbledore, all three looking very bewildered. I nearly threw myself at them.

"You need to get to the dungeons. Blaise… he's in our bedroom. He's been bitten by a snake. They're… they're _everywhere_!"

I gripped Snape's cloak like was the only thing holding me up. My knees were knocking together. He grabbed my shoulders and pushed me away from him.

"Go into the Great Hall and stay there," he said, and in a flash, was racing down the corridors with Dumbledore and McGonagall.

(Harry Potter)

Ginny and I had stayed a bit longer after dinner than intended. We sat at the table, chatting, knowing that if Ron and Hermione were interrupted in the common room, we'd be in awkward conversations for days. So we stayed after awhile, enjoying the quiet, chatting with Neville and Luna and Hannah Abbott and Ernie, which were about the only stragglers from dinner. Most had tromped up to their rooms to sleep and get ready for Quidditch in the morning. All the Slytherins had vanished, prepared for the game. When Snape, Dumbledore, and McGonagall had stormed out of the room, however, looking worried, our group's conversation changed subjects.

"What are they so flustered about?" Ginny asked, observing their rush.

"I don't know," I said, shrugging, but it seemed almost immediately explained when a frighteningly pale Draco Malfoy stumbled inside the Great Hall.

"That's Draco Malfoy," Hannah whispered, though I really didn't see the point of us whispering.

Neville exchanged glances with Ginny. I could sense it, but I didn't look back at them. I was concentrating on Malfoy. All in all, he looked very worse for wear. Worse than when he began shouting madness. I eyed him for a moment until he looked up. I looked away. I'm not sure why. I just did. He walked past me without a glance, and went to sit by himself at the deserted Slytherin table. He stared at his hands.

He never looked at me.

(Draco Malfoy)

Blaise had been taken away to St. Mungo's around midnight after Madam Pomphrey could do no more for him. I sat in the hospital wing up until his dismissal, and I didn't sleep much after that either. Filch and McGonagall had taken care of most of the snakes, and Hagrid had put up some wards to keep them away. Still, everyone seemed completely befuddled as to how they got in in the first place. I didn't say much. I told them what I knew, and then went to bed. But I didn't sleep but a few winks. I kept feeling that snake coiling up my leg, chilling me to the very bone.

I came to the decision that I hated snakes.

The next day was Quidditch, but my mind was elsewhere when I walked out on the pitch. The sky was a deep gray and filled with large clouds that suggested rain in later hours. I felt the weight of fatigue on my shoulders as I nearly dragged my broomstick behind me. Blaise's condition hadn't been reported to me since he'd been shipped off to St. Mungo's, and I was left in the dark. As tired as I was, my blood still rushed through my veins at the constant, nerve-wracking thought that he had worsened… or died. I quickly pushed the latter from my mind, deciding Quidditch could take my mind off of it for awhile - if I didn't fall off my broom from the sheer force of exhaustion at least.

The pitch was filled with noise - screaming cheers and jeers coming from all sides. Red and gold colors seemed to paint one side of the field, green and silver on the other. I let out a long breath, closing my eyes and feeling the wind kiss the side of my face, then straightened up, blinked a few times, and attempted to awaken somewhat. Crabbe and Goyle passed me, but didn't speak. As of late, we hadn't been on the best of terms. Crabbe had suddenly become much too good to talk to me, because his father was apparently a better Death Eater than mine. We had a big blow up, and Goyle left with Crabbe. Blaise left with me. Not that it mattered. It did bother me how little they cared about Blaise's condition. Perhaps that was how Death Eaters were _supposed_ to act.

Maybe I wasn't a Death Eater after all. That was another thought I pushed from my mind.

Before I knew it, we were kicking off the ground and the match had started. I was caught up in the confusion, bumping around among the other players for a few minutes before I soared above the group to catch some air and keep my eyes open for the snitch. My eyes were tired though, hurting and blurry. I couldn't focus on much. I almost caught myself dozing on my broom. Potter zoomed up next to me suddenly, eyes focused on the ground below. For once, I really didn't care if I got the snitch or not. I was thinking about Blaise.

"What? Think you're too good to _try_?" Harry prodded suddenly, not taking his eyes off the pitch.

"Shove it up your arse, Potter," I replied quite curtly, almost scathingly. No, wait, it was very scathing, actually.

Harry's emerald eyes finally darted from the ground and met mine, relatively dark in the light of the sky. "What happened to you?"

I ignored him. Something golden had caught my eyes.

I dived for the snitch at the highest speed I could muster. The wind whipped almost through me. I extended my arm for the snitch, feeling it almost beating between my fingers. I could see Potter's hand reaching for it too. The blood was rushing from my head. I wasn't sure I'd stay conscious under the strain after the horrifying night I had. My fingers grazed it…

Right before Potter grasped it in his grubby little hand.

I felt disappointment rush over me as my groom scraped the ground and I rolled off onto the grass. My eyes burned and watered for a moment, my stress finally boiling over, but I fought the tears back behind my lids, giving myself quite a headache. I sat up slowly, staring at the grass as the Gryffindor crowd broke into a roar of applause.

"Fuck," I muttered, scraping the grass up in my hands as they squeezed into fists.

My teammates landed around me, grumbling, pretty much ignoring me. I felt ashamed. I couldn't bring my team to victory. Ever. And Blaise… oh, Blaise… he still bothered me so. I was hoping for at least one thing, _one thing_ to go right. And that couldn't even happen. _Potter_ took it away from me. I had never wanted to hurt him so much. And yet something surprised me.

A hand stretched out to me and I stared at it.

"…Good game," Harry said.

I gave him a half-sneer, half-chuckle, and pulled myself up, disregarding his hand. He actually seemed a little upset.

"Malfoy-"

"Save it or shove it, Potter," I snapped. "I have nothing to say to you."

I stomped away.

Alone.

**_End Chapter Four_**

(08.06.2007)


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Five**_

_Hold on  
Feeling like I'm headed for a  
Break down  
And I don't know why  
-Matchbox 20_

It had been three days. No sign of Blaise's return. No word of him. Nothing. I had failed three tests, missed four homework assignments, and been late for six classes. It was beginning to get to me. I was afraid I was going to just go crazy, pass out, or die before I found out anything. And Potter was always looking at me with those sad, green eyes, almost begging me to talk to him, to trust him, to make him be _hero_. I was trying to ignore him, but it was just one more thing on top of everything else. I felt on edge at every moment, panic attacks gripping at my lungs just enough to hurt but not to worry anyone else.

And when Potter wasn't following me, the littlest Weasley was (probably _for_ Potter), with big brown eyes and pink, puckered lips. Damn girl… Finally, I whirled on her and shoved her against a wall. (A bit unorthodox, I know, but I wasn't exactly thinking clearly.)

"Will you please _stop following me_?!" I yelled.

She bit her lip, a bit frightened by the fact that my nails were digging into her arms. She wriggled a little, then shook her head.

"I wasn't following you!"

"Don't fucking lie to me, Weasley. You and Potter have been following me around for days."

She pushed me off of her and I stumbled back, not quite on mark as I usually was. I glared at her, still. "I don't want your help. Leave me alone."

She gazed at me as she straightened her auburn locks back to their original places. "Well, it's never too late to ask, Malfoy. Dumbledore's Army will help you, I'm sure."

I scoffed at her. "Don't even start. I'm more interested in my best friend _dying_ than anything you have to say to me. So, if you don't mind, I want to try and live my life a little without having to look over my shoulder every other moment!"

She was silent for a moment. I took this moment to yell at her some more.

"What _is_ it with you Gryffindors? Do you just not get the meaning of the word _no_? Do you think that if you… if you _try real hard_, you'll convince someone to be on your side? 'Cause I have news for you, Weasley. Try something like that on a Death Eater, and they'll kill you in an _instant_. _**GET IT?!**_"

My heart was pounding against my ribs now, unexplainable, nervous rage building in my blood and rushing through my veins. Ginevra Weasley, however, was far more a formidable foe than I expected.

"Well you're not a Death Eater. _Are you?_"

I wanted to retort, to yell, to have a tantrum even, but she stunned me silent. I was left with my jaw hanging open.

"N-no."

Ginny smiled haughtily, showing some dazzling white teeth that I was surprised to see on a Weasley. "That's what I thought."

I sighed, feeling sweat dotting my forehead, deciding on another approach. "I can't accept your help, okay? I… I just can't."

I slumped away from her slowly, expecting her to come running after me. But she didn't.

She was apparently satisfied with that answer… at least for the moment.

(Harry Potter)

"That's what he said, eh?"

"Yep."

"He didn't sound irritated or anything?"

"No… he just sounded… tired. Sick, maybe."

Ginny and I were in the armchairs this time. Hermione and Ron had taken the floor, and Neville had the couch. We had the tendency to meet like this in the common room.

"I really wish you'd lay off of 'em, Harry. There are so many things that could be more entertaining than that prat, Malfoy," Ron cut in. "I mean, why are you and Ginny so _obsessed_ with this? To be honest, I don't want Ginny anywhere _around_ him!"

Ginny's eyes narrowed a little. "I'm not a little girl, Ron."

Ron was a bit unnerved by the look he received. "I-I know that. It's just… Malfoy's--"

"Dangerous?" I supplied, feeling a bit triumphant, "Exactly. We need to find out what he's up to."

"No, you needn't get involved," Hermione said in the matter-of-fact tone she had the tendency to use. "If Malfoy's in trouble, you'll have to let him come to us. You've extended your hand. If he wants to take it, he will."

I felt a little disheartened by that answer. "But, 'Mione-"

"Harry, you can't just keep chasing him around. You'll push him away."

"Hermione, I think Harry's done enough _pushing_," Ginny replied. "I mean, all those years of arguing and sniping at each other…"

"You'll be lucky to even get his attention," Neville added.

"His attitude sure changed this afternoon, though," I argued.

"Why wouldn't it? Haven't you heard the rumors?"

We shifted to see Parvati take the last step off the spiral staircase into the common room, accompanied closely by Lavender Brown. Both were in their pajamas. I blinked a couple of times, feeling both confused and annoyed by their intrusion and eavesdropping.

"No," I said. "I haven't."

"You didn't hear?" Lavender seemed to find such a thing scandalous, switching looks with Parvati, then back to me. "His best friend's _dying_."

"What? Crabbe and Goyle seemed perfectly fine to me," Ron said, aghast.

Parvati and Lavender shared a scoff and a snort that made Ron's ears turn red.

"They're his _cronies_, Ronald. Blaise Zambini's his best friend. You seen _him_ around lately?"

"Come to think of it… no," Ginny said, clearly intrigued. "Do you know what happened?"

"Not exactly," Parvati said, "But Marcus Flint told Rose Zeller, who told Seamus, who told me, that Blaise was admitted to St. Mungo's a few days ago due to a _snakebite_."

I think I choked for a moment, because the world seemed to implode then return in a heap of sound.

"A snakebite?!" I exclaimed.

"Yep," Lavender replied, looking confident. "They say a bunch of snakes managed to get into the Slytherin common room and attack! It's really creepy. Especially after that article in the _Prophet_…"

Lavender and Parvati glimpsed at each other worriedly.

Ginny spoke first. "Harry, you don't think--"

"Yes, I do," I said, feeling fear washing over me. "I think Voldemort's behind this."

"Voldemort?!" Parvati and Lavender shared the shudder that spread throughout the room. "But how would he be getting snakes into Hogwarts? And why Blaise and not you?"

"I don't know. I haven't figured it out yet."

"I suppose it could be a warning, perhaps to Malfoy - you know how strange he's been acting. Maybe the snakes were only sent for Blaise so Malfoy would see it happen?" Ginny shrugged.

"But there _had_ to be other children in the common room? Why didn't the snakes attack any of them?"

"Because Malfoy's not _friends_ with them," Lavender replied, eyeing Hermione with disgust. "Don't you know? He had a falling out with Crabbe and Goyle, and now the only people that'll talk to him are Blaise and Pansy. And _Parkinson's_ even wary of him. I suppose it has something to do with his dad."

Hermione returned the glower while Ron sunk down in his chair worriedly.

"So now that Blaise is in St. Mungo's…" Ginny began.

"Malfoy's all alone," Neville finished, crawling over between the armchairs.

"But wouldn't the other Slytherins have _helped_ Blaise?" Hermione asked.

"Please, 'Mione. They're spineless," Ron replied bitterly. "Spineless little buggers."

"He's right," I said, "If they were mad at Malfoy, and Malfoy was friends with Blaise, then they probably didn't see the need to even bother with him."

"Well, Filch found some Slytherins hiding the other night. They told him something about snakes but he still subtracted some points. Not much though. You know how Filch likes those Slytherins."

"Most of them had gone to bed early for Quidditch too." Ron added. "Do you know who got caught, Ginny?"

"No-" Ginny started.

"Pansy Parkinson, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle," Parvati finished brashly.

Ginny shut her mouth tight, but her eyes were ablaze at the sudden interruption, then replied through gritted teeth, "If it's those three, than of _course_ they wouldn't help."

"Um… anyway," I broke in, worried an argument would break out, "I think Dumbledore's Army should have a meeting to discuss this. Maybe we can figure out what's happening."

"Oh, really, Harry?" Parvati asked, eyes wide again.

"I'll inform everyone," Neville volunteered. "I can get it through really fast. What time do you want to meet tomorrow?"

"Hm… after dinner is good," I said.

"Agreed?" Hermione asked.

"Agreed." We finished.

"Dumbledore's Army meets again!"

(Draco Malfoy)

I was dreaming again, but this time, with my mind filled with so many questions, I was having difficulty making everything out. I stirred a little here and there, feeling my heart beating faster. I was back in that castle, and it was cold and dark. Something told me, deep in my heart that it had been a warm, welcoming place at one time, but it had fallen. Something bad had happened to it. I could hear those snakes and with each hiss I jumped. There was someone in front of me, then, but it wasn't Harry, not like last time. It was a much taller, burlier man that seemed to have once glowed in the sun, but had glimmered out. I moved to say something, but a loud voice filled the room before I could speak.

"This is how it ends, Godric? Don't you get it? You are _nothing_."

"You're wrong." The burly man turned around, eyes emanating sadness. "Oh, you're so very wrong. You still have a chance to end this, Salazar. Don't let this darkness take over your soul. We have a _school_, Sal! We have everything we ever dreamed of! Isn't that enough?"

"That was _your_ dream, Godric," Salazar hissed. I realized he was behind me. "That's the only reason those damn _Mudbloods_ and _Muggles_ would even _be_ here!"

"They can practice magic, too, Salazar! We should not deny them magic because of their… their _birthright_!"

Salazar sneered. "Don't start that argument with me, Godric. We own a school for witchcraft and wizardry. That is for _witches and wizards_! Get it?"

Godric sighed. "Oh, Salazar… you are so very cunning, but you know so very little. Rowena and Helga will be ashamed."

"_Don't dare speak to me like a child!_" Salazar yelled, pointing his wand at Godric.

And Godric smiled, looking so much like Dumbledore, and so much like Professor Lupin, and so much like Harry Potter, that I felt a chill creep down his spine. It was that smile of pity. Of _forgiveness_.

_"…Good game," Harry said._

"_Avada Kedavra!_" A green light bolted right through me and into Godric.

Godric fell to the ground and didn't move. The large door creaked open right at that point. Salazar turned. A lady screamed.

I woke up.

For some reason, I had tears in my eyes.

_**End Chapter Five**_

(Author's Notes: This has been one of my favorite chapters to write so far. I'm really delving into this story now. I hope you guys are enjoying this. 08.10.2007)


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter Six**_

_Now come one come all to this tragic affair  
__Wipe off that makeup, what's in is despair  
__So throw on the black dress, mix in with the lot  
__You might wake up and notice you're someone you're not  
If you look in the mirror and don't like what you see  
You can find out first hand what it's like to be me  
So gather round piggies and kiss this goodbye  
I encourage your smiles, I expect you won't cry  
-My Chemical Romance_

(Narcissa Malfoy)

The room was quiet. The entire house was quiet. I'd sent the house elves to bed, not wanting their presence about when I was so deep in thought. My husband had not returned after the last argument we'd had. Not that I wanted him to come back. I was still infuriated with him, and yet there was nothing I could do. Not even to save my own son. I broke down, as I had the tendency to do as of late, completely overwhelmed at the idea that I was useless. I paced my room, as if I had anything better to do, trying to get around the subject of Voldemort and figure out his plans with my son.

Suddenly, an owl burst threw my window, frightening me so much that I nearly fainted. I gripped my chest, breathing deeply, letting the adrenaline calm down. I fed the owl a treat and grabbed the _Daily Prophet_, opening it to see what had happened outside the castle. The front page was over course littered with yays and nays of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and the rest were some random articles that really didn't involve me.

My eyes, however, fell upon a name in the obituaries…

"Oh… no…" I whispered.

(Draco Malfoy)

When I came down to the common room, I found three figures waiting for me there. Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy were standing by the couch, looking very guilty and very sad. I eyed them brutishly.

"And what is it that _you_ want?"

I had nothing to say to them. If my father's actions were enough to have them flee, I was no longer interested in their friendship.

"Draco, we…" Pansy started, but the words died away as quickly as she had mustered them.

I was uninterested. I shot a death glare at them then pushed them aside. "Nothing you say will make me forgive you. _Nothing_."

The statement was not only because of the arguments we had had, or the fact that they deserted me. No, the wounds in my back ran deeper than they realized. I knew they had been there. I knew they had…

…

When I entered the Great Hall, I froze. The room was completely silent. No clanking cups, do clinking dishes, not a voice was raised. The hush over the room was terrifying. I shakily slumped over to my table and sat down. No one would look at me. No one would look at each other. Everyone was looking at Dumbledore… waiting… waiting…

For what?

Why were they hanging on every breath the Headmaster took? Why were they looking so solemn? What was _wrong_?! My heart was blasting against my ribs now, so hard that it almost ached. I clenched my fists tightly, then shifted my gaze to the Headmaster. Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle sat next to me. I ignored them.

Finally, agonizingly slow, the Headmaster rose, sapphire eyes somber and unquestioning. "Students, teachers, staff…"

He cut off there for a moment as many of the Slytherins shifted and the other Houses glanced around confusedly.

"I regret… to make this announcement… during what is supposed to be a happy time of day."

I swallowed, cold sweat running down my back, my stomach twisting into knots.

"But we have lost… one of our faithful students."

I think it became clear to me at that point, but I was unable to get past the strict denial that had forced itself into my soul, weighing it down like a large block of ice.

"As some of you may know, Blaise Zambini was admitted into St. Mungo's a few days ago…. I hate to inform you all… that he passed away last night. Mr. Zambini was…"

The rest of the words died from my ears. I sat there, hearing only a loud _whoosh_, washing over my body in a icy feeling of grief, of loss, of realizing I was completely _alone_. _Blaise is… dead?_ Something about the thought didn't sit right. Dumbledore had to be mistaken. He had to be.

A sob brought me back to the world, for I feared it might be my own, but I hadn't shed a tear. It hadn't sunk in yet. Pansy was the one crying, but she wasn't crying for Blaise. She was crying for herself.

"Oh, Draco, I'm so… so sorry…" she cried, and it sounded louder being that the room was in such a state of muted shock. "For everything we did… Oh, Draco…"

A hot feeling seared through my veins so quickly that I had to stand to stomach the pain. It was rage.

"Sorry? You're _sorry_?!" My voice sounded very far away, lost in that loud roar in my head. "Sorry for what? For abandoning me for no reason? Or for running out of the common room to leave Blaise there to _die_?!" It was pouring out of me, like water from a faucet that could not be turned off. "**You left him there! You **_**knew**_** he was there! You **_**knew**_** he'd been bitten! And you just left! **_**Let Draco take care of him. He's the one that likes Blaise, **_**you probably said! You sent him up the stairs for him to sit there… and… **_**DIE!**_"

It was settling in now, the anguish overpowering.

"You didn't give a _damn_! You just wanted to cower in your little corners! Hide behind your daddies! And now you apologize to me?! NOW?! _**It's too late for you to apologize! It's too LATE!**_ Blaise… Blaise is dead! _**BECAUSE OF YOU!**_"

Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy had grown very, very pale, almost corpse-like. I could feel the tears welling behind my eyes and the pain of my nails digging into my palms. Crabbe was the first to speak, and it was high-pitched and barely audible.

"D-Draco… we… were… scared… and…"

I wasn't sure that I had hit him when he hit the floor. I hadn't even felt my arm left from my side, but apparently I had, because the entire Great Hall was gazing at me like I was crazy. Perhaps I was. Snape was on me within seconds, holding me back. I didn't even realize I was flailing until his arms wrapped around my torso and Dumbledore was trying to get the rest of the students' attention. McGonagall ushered Pansy and Goyle away. Professor Sprout tended to Crabbe, who was not very accepting of it. And yet I was still screaming.

"_**You BASTARDS! YOU COWARDLY BASTARDS! BURN IN HELL! YOU LET HIM DIE! You…**__ let him…_die…"

I couldn't yell anymore. My voice hitched in my throat. Snape still held me tightly, but I could tell he was struggling to keep me at bay. My eyes wildly moved about the room as my arms started giving out, tired from the effort of moving with little to know knowledge as to where.

And there I saw Potter.

And that _look_.

I shoved Snape away from me, falling to the floor before stumbling back to my feet and running from the room, tears pouring down my cheeks, released from their traps, like a river breaking through a dam. I could feel it now, and I was longing for the numbness that hit me initially. The world came back to me in a rush of sound, but now, there wasn't much sound at all, just the choking sound of sobs bouncing off bathroom walls, loud and painful and so unlike mine.

But they _were_ mine.

I didn't know where I had run. I ran to get away. To seek solace in my solitude. But I knew from many experiences that solitude was no friend. It was a cold enemy, one that would hurt you if you got too close. I crawled into a stall, shaking so violently that I was afraid I'd crack my skull against the commode. But my sobs were too strong. I had to throw up.

I didn't know how long I was sick, but it felt like hours. My throat was burning and my stomach was almost screaming in pain. I fell back against the door of the stall and closed my eyes as the shock slowly dissipated into a pounding headache. The numb feeling in my bones was returning, my face sticky with dried tears. I doubted I could move at all. My mind was shutting down. _Maybe I'll go crazy…_

"Malfoy? Are you in here?"

The voice pulled me back a bit. I couldn't remember how long I'd been there.

"Who's there?" I asked quietly. My voice was more hoarse than I remembered.

The stall door opened and I fell back slowly, not even bothering to remain upright. I lay still, staring up at Potter.

"Are you alright?"

My vision was somewhat glazed, due to the fact that I could barely comprehend anything after my extreme emotional blow-up. Harry seemed to understand this, for he kneeled down and answered my question before I even asked.

"Dumbledore sent me to find you. He said I might know where you were. I guess I was right."

I didn't feel like yelling at him. I wasn't sure if I could anyway. "Guess you were."

Harry seemed to have an moment of awkwardness to fight with, then replied gently, "I'm… I'm sorry… about…"

"Save it," I whispered. "Don't apologize unless it's… your fault. It's not your fault."

Harry offered me a hand, but I pushed it away, helping myself up… halfway, at least. I feared my legs might be trembling too much to stand on, so I managed to look perfectly happy where I was at. Of course, Potter seemed unconvinced, but he was never convinced with me.

"I know how you feel," he said, sitting down too. (I guess he wanted to make me comfortable. It actually annoyed me a little, but I was too exhausted to express it.)

"Don't go into your _I've lost people too_ speech," I muttered, touching my neck when my throat seared. "There's no point."

"Sorry." Harry fumbled a little with his fingers.

"Stop it!"

"Oh, sorry - I mean - okay…"

I almost laughed at him.

But I didn't.

"Um…" Harry looked down at the floor. "What are you going to do now?"

"I… don't know…" I said, wondering why I said anything at all. "I'm ashamed to be a Slytherin right now. I don't know what to do."

"Do you think Voldemort-"

"The _Dark Lord_," I corrected with a glare.

"Do you think the _Dark Lord_ is behind this?" Harry looked a bit frustrated.

"Maybe," I replied, touching my neck again. "But it's not just him, if that's what your thinking."

I stood, deciding I'd said enough. My knees buckled for a second, but I managed to stay up and swallow the bile that rose in my throat. Harry stood up too, as if my standing was an invitation to follow. I stared at him.

"What?"

"Malfoy… if you… if you want to fight… the Dark Lord… you can join Dumbledore's Army."

The pain of Blaise shot back again with such ferocity that I had to fight the tears. I couldn't understand why that ridiculous little sentence brought it on.

"I'll… think about it."

I had no idea why I said it. I hadn't planned for a moment to join up with Harry Potter. I believe I've already mentioned the reasons. But something was comforting about the fact that he hadn't mentioned anything cruel. He just came to talk. He didn't come to protect himself or his friends or anyone. He just came to talk. And I respected that.

But only a little.

I decided to try and take a step, and I wobbled a bit. Potter reached out and grabbed my arm. I jolted, my eyes shifting to him immediately. The blood rushed to my head and my eyes rolled back in my head for a moment and he gripped even harder, not letting me fall. I came back around a couple of seconds later, spots in front of my eyes.

"Let me help you," he said.

"I-I'm fine." _Wow, that was convincing, genius._

"I can take you to the hospital wing-"

"No!" I argued, my throat on fire. "I don't want to be in there with Crabbe. I just need some sleep."

"There's no way you can make it all the way down the dungeons like this," Harry retorted.

"There's no way I'll make it with _you_ helping me either. The Slytherins will eat us alive."

"I don't think you'll have anything to worry about. You socked Crabbe pretty good. And that tangent… you shocked the whole room, Malfoy."

"They probably think I'm crazy."

"Does it matter what they think?" Despite my protests, Harry had pulled my arm over his shoulder and was helping me into the corridors.

"It does when they know where you sleep," I replied curtly.

"Dumbledore's still got everyone in the Great Hall right now. They have to set some new precautions around the school after this. Not that anyone knows what happened, except for the rumors. We should be perfectly fine."

I wanted to fight with him about it, but I couldn't manage it. I just sighed, submitting and letting him help me. We walked a few minutes in silence, and I was actually thankful for something to put my weight on.

"No one's eaten breakfast yet either… Not that many want to. It's been a pretty difficult morning. I don't know if they'll even have classes today."

"I don't really care if we do or not," I replied.

"You're too sick to go to class today anyway."

"I'm not sick," I said softly. "No… not really."

After another few minutes of me limping along, Potter managed to get down to the dungeons. I leaned against the portrait and turned to him.

"I've got it from here," I said. "Go run back to your little _Gryffindors_."

It was meant to sound scathing, but Potter smiled, and that made my eyebrow tweak a bit. He turned around and began his pursuit back to the Great Hall.

"Potter."

"Hm?" He turned back to me.

_Thank you._ "Get lost."

"You're welcome, Malfoy," he said, looking a bit agitated.

I muttered the password to the portrait, climbed in, crawled up the stairs, and went to bed. I slept with difficulty.

_"Malfoy… if you… if you want to fight… the Dark Lord… you can join Dumbledore's Army."_

"Oh, Blaise," I murmured to my pillow. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

_"Malfoy… if you… if you want to fight… the Dark Lord… you can join Dumbledore's Army."_

I couldn't get it out of my head.

_**End Chapter Six**_

(Author's Notes: Very fast update. Probably the last fast update for awhile. School starts Monday. I may get one more fast update it, but that's it. Enjoy! 08.11.2007)


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter Seven**_

_Cause I have been blamed and I have repented  
I'm working my way toward our union mended  
And we have been blamed and we have repented  
I'm working my way toward our union mended  
-Alanis Morrissette  
_

(Harry Potter)

Dumbledore's Army was filled with chatter, as I expected it to be after the morning's events, but I was proud of Neville for getting all of them together without an issue. Whispers of _Voldemort_ carried the most among the crowd. People were worried, and rightfully so. My thoughts lingered on Malfoy, though. He seemed completely lost. I almost missed the roguish, snobby rival that had just seemed to diminish over the years. Ginny touched my arm and I turned to her, thrown out of my thoughts.

"We're about to get started," she said. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah… yeah. Just thinking."

"I'll get us started then," Ginny said, giving me a soft look. "Should we practice our Patronuses to warm up?"

"Sure, that's fine," I replied.

Ginny walked away, auburn hair swinging behind her. I shoved my hands in my pockets and leaned against the wall. Ginny took the stand at the front of the meeting and the students quieted down almost immediately. There was definitely something amazing about how easily they listened.

"Alright, everyone, we'll warm up with our Patronuses, so we can make sure we remember how to do it."

"Wait a minute, Ginny!" Katie Bell broke in. "What about what happened today?"

"Um…" Ginny looked embarrassed and very much like Ron for a moment. "Yes, I suppose we can address that."

The room was thrown back into chatter, and, well, I wasn't surprised. I stood and walked to the front of the classroom and faced Dumbledore's Army.

"Hey!"

They quieted immediately.

"I'll try to answer some of your questions, but I don't think I know much more than any of you."

Lee Jordan crossed his arms, looking disappointed. "Harry, we haven't gotten _any_ new information about Voldemort, outside the rumors. What are we going to do? What is he planning?"

Zacharius Smith seemed fearful as well, though an edge of confidence hung on him. "Yeah! What if he attacks the school?"

"We'll be ready for him," Neville replied bravely, which threw us all for a loop.

"Um…" Hannah Abbott said, a bit shyly, as was her nature, "Why did he attack Blaise Zambini? Isn't he on his side?"

I felt panic whirling in my stomach. I had no idea what to say. That explained Ginny's reluctance on the subject. I took a deep breath to calm down.

"We'll figure it out, I promise. Neville, did you make sure only supporters can get in here?" Ron interrupted.

"Uh huh!" Neville said, and I felt relieved for the change of subject. "I asked for a room that can only be seen and entered by students against Voldemort where they can learn how to fight him."

I nodded. "That's good, Neville. Now, shall we start with our Patronuses?"

They still looked like they wanted to protest, but they stood and got in position to start training.

(Draco Malfoy)

_I cannot believe I'm doing this._

That popped in my head every few seconds as I pulled my cloak on over my clothes. I was too tired to do much. I just wore my uniform button down shirt (which was wrinkled from being slept in) and some jeans and sneakers. My hair was in great disarray - I was constantly blowing it out of my face, but I didn't care enough to bother, so I stepped out of the room. Pansy was sitting on the sofa, staring into the fire, very much alone. I glanced at her and headed for the portrait hole.

"Where are you going?" she asked, softly.

"None of your business," I replied, with a feeling of complete detachment from her. She sent not one feeling through my veins. I was through with her. Done.

"But Draco-"

"You've made your choice… and I'll make mine. Don't talk to me anymore." I opened the portrait hole's door and stepped out.

I heard her sob once.

_I cannot believe I'm doing this._

The sound of my feet hitting the floor seemed almost overwhelmingly loud due to the silence that emanated from every nook and cranny. I took a right and then began my ascent up one of the many staircases I'd have to climb. Dinner hadn't ended long ago, and I knew where my feet were carrying me. But I still couldn't believe it.

_This is going to change everything…_ I thought. _This is a big step. A dangerous step…_

I knew that was true. I knew that everything I cared about was in danger. I also knew that I didn't have a lot of loved ones left. I'd had enough. Blaise's death was the last straw. And I knew who had sent those snakes. I was no idiot. And I wanted to avenge Blaise. I no longer wanted to cower behind my family name, behind my money, behind my cunning. No. Now was the time to be brave _and_ smart. Another turn, another staircase. I blew my hair out of my face.

_I cannot believe I'm doing this._

I walked for another few minutes, listening to the sounds of my own breathing, my thoughts playing on my best friend's face, watching it vanish repeatedly from my vision. The thought of it brought back a fresh batch of tears which I solemnly stroked away. I pulled my cloak more tightly around myself, feeling chilly at the thought of being alone, took another staircase, and then another turn. I was almost there now. After another few minutes of walking, I was there, standing outside the door, staring right up at it in its awesome entirety. It wasn't as big as I remembered, but I had grown since then. I stepped forward and pressed my hand to the door.

(Harry Potter)

The door let out a long creak. Everyone halted, looking at each other in confusion. Everyone was there. Who would be showing up? Whispers of Fred and George wafted for a moment, then the door fully opened and wands were pointed at the unknown intruder, then lowered in complete and utter astonishment.

Draco Malfoy stood before us.

"I… want… to join. I want to help." It came as a small murmur, but there was such grief behind that statement that my heart ached for the boy.

But that couldn't stop my mouth from hanging open.

"He's lying!" Cho accused. "Why would a Malfoy want to fight Voldemort?"

Draco didn't look in the least offended, more hurt.

"No, Cho, that's impossible," Neville said softly. "If he didn't want to fight Voldemort, he wouldn't have even been able to _see_ the door, much less open it."

"Please," Draco said, taking one step forward, but no more than that, his hands palms up in front of him, a gesture of humbleness. "Voldemort killed my best friend. And he's threatening my family, just as he threatens yours. I want to help. I'll tell you whatever you need to know."

Even though I understood the painful loss he was feeling, I still couldn't wrap my mind around his words. They were so… modest… It was absolutely nothing I would have expected from a Malfoy, much less Draco. Ginny moved through the crowd, brushing past me, then stood before Malfoy. There was a moment of silence. Then she took one step toward him and wrapped her arms around his torso, looking very much like her mother. Now it was his turn to look surprised. He even blushed a little.

"Welcome," she said. "And we're sorry for your loss."

Ron moved, his ears turning bright red, but Hermione gripped his arm and he remained. Ginny pulled away after a moment and smiled.

"Th-thank you," Draco said awkwardly.

"She's too trusting," Ron murmured under his breath.

Everyone else seemed to accept him immediately. Ginny's reaction had soothed their minds and souls. The door shut behind him as he stepped all the way in and people began to get back to work.

"Um… Malfoy," I said with a nod of my head. "We're doing Patronuses. Would you… like to learn?"

He scratched the back of his head. "Sure… I guess."

I offered him a smile, which turned out to be a lot easier than I expected, "Come on. This way."

(Draco Malfoy)

When the Weasley girl hugged me, I had felt my heart stop for a moment. Not because she was pretty, not because she was witty, but because I had been shown _kindness_. She was so welcoming. They were all just suddenly accepting. Was this what Gryffindors were like? Had I really ignored their good qualities? No… no, they had been wretched to me just as I had been to them. But now… now we all had something in common. As difficult as it was to admit, something about the entire room felt _right_. Harry led me to a back corner of the class, away from everyone else.

"Okay, you know what the Patronus does, right?"

"It fights off Dementors, Potter. I've seen you use it long enough to be able to know what it does," I sneered. Well, just because they'd shown me kindness didn't mean I was about to go all lovey-dovey on them.

"Okay… then," Harry said, fighting a small flash of irritation, his glasses falling down on his nose.

I couldn't fight my smirk as it spread across my face.

"W-well," Harry said, pulling out his wand, "To summon a good Patronus is pretty difficult. It takes a _lot_ of concentration, especially when you're surrounded by Dementors."

I nodded, getting serious. "Okay."

Harry pointed his wand at me and closed his eyes. "You have to think of you happiest memory… happiest dream… as long as it's strong. You must think about the thing that makes you the happiest. And then… _Expecto Patronum_."

It was effortless for Harry. The stag burst forth from his wand and wrapped me in such warmth that for the first time in a long time, I smiled a true smile, reveling in the feeling. It was the best feeling I think I'd ever experienced. I closed my eyes and held my hands out, letting it drape around me. Then it vanished, and I felt a bit chilly. I hadn't wanted it to leave.

"They also serve as good protection sometimes too. You can send messages on them, but it's a bit too complex for me. You want to try?"

"Okay," I said, holding my wand at him.

"Think of your happiest memory-"

"I heard you the first time, Potter. Now give me a minute."

I closed my eyes as Harry had done, concentrating on the task at hand. _Happy memory… happy memory… happy memory…_ Nothing came to mind immediately. The past few years had been very rough on my family and me. I had to think very far back to get anything. It was long ago. I couldn't have been older than seven, and I was experiencing magic for the first time in my life. My mother and father looked so proud, watching me float things around the room and laugh excitedly. It was incredible. I think it was the last time I had ever seen my father truly happy.

"Got it?" Harry asked, almost inaudibly. I must have been smiling.

"Yeah," I sighed.

"Go on then."

"_Expecto… Patronum_," I whispered, and a beam of light sprung from my wand almost immediately.

It twisted in the air, round and round and wrapped around Harry like a protective cloak. I looked at it more closely to find it was a great silver dragon. The other members of Dumbledore's Army had stopped to watch. Harry smiled as it dissipated and looked me in the eye.

"Excellent work, Malfoy!"

"Th-thank you…" I said ineptly. Potter sounded very teacher-like, and that was strange.

"Doing it here is one thing, though," Ginny said. "When the Dementors attack, it's going to be a lot harder."

"I can handle it," I muttered, wishing for that great feeling again.

"That's what I said," Harry said, passing me and patting me on the shoulder. "Keep practicing. Trust me."

I eyed him for a moment, wanting to protest his sudden cockiness, but he trusted me for the moment, so I supposed he was having the same problem. I backed off, then stood in the line of students.

"_Expecto Patronum…_"

(Narcissa Malfoy)

A crack filled the room.

It was my hand across Severus's face. He made no move to stop it. He just kept his head turned away.

"How could you let that _happen_, Severus?! How _could_ you?!"

"I had no control over it, Narcissa. I was patrolling the Great Hall. I have no idea how those snakes got into the common room."

"My son is alone now, Severus. _Alone_!"

"_No he's not!_" Snape yelled suddenly, turning to face me with fiery charcoal eyes.

I was silenced. "…Forgive me, Severus."

"It's alright." He managed a soft smile.

That smile made a chill go down my back. I ignored it.

"He'll… he'll be protected right?"

"Even with the snakes, Cissy, Draco is safest at Hogwarts. There are too many wards up for him to be in much danger, and with Filch and that giant, Hagrid on patrol, there won't be many snakes on the grounds either. I still don't know what the Dark Lord's _up _to though."

"Neither do I," I replied, regretfully. "I had an argument with Lucius, and he hasn't returned. I don't think he'd tell me anyway."

I sat down on my bed, feeling stressed. Snape sat next to me, a reasonable distance apart.

"I know he loves his family, Severus… but… his fear keeps him away. It makes him crazy. It makes him cruel. I feel so lost and alone right now." I added, gently.

I could feel him looking at me with furrowed brows, pitying me, understanding my feelings. I knew how lost he had felt when Lily Evans died. He grew even more quiet that day. Even though he knew she would never be his, and that she hadn't spoken to him in years, he'd lost a dear friend that day, and I don't think he was ever the same.

"I'm sorry, Severus. I'm a squabbling fool, aren't I?"

"No," he said. "You're not. You're a worried mother."

My hand crept across the sheets and wrapped around his, squeezing it for support. A tear slid down my cheek. His hands were cold and calloused from many years of potion making. I felt comforted by his presence.

He squeezed back.

_**End Chapter Seven**_

(Author's Note: I enjoyed writing this chapter. I hope I managed some good characterization. I think this was the hardest characterization for Draco I've ever had to do, probably because I'm trying to keep him a bit closer to the books, but I want his change to be fluent. I wanted him going to Harry for help to be difficult, but something he had to do, so I hope I managed to work that right. I think I did okay. Please comment and tell me what you think. I really appreciate your feedback because it helps me get better. Thanks for reading! 08.12.2007)


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Eight**_

_Put to rest,  
What you thought of me.  
While I clean this slate,  
With the hands,  
Of uncertainty.  
So let mercy come,  
And wash away…  
What I've Done.  
-Linkin Park_

(Harry Potter)

Voldemort was up to something.

I wasn't sure as to exactly _what_ he was up to (then again, I never was positive), but I knew it was good. I could feel it in my veins, and I could feel it in my scar. And when I slept, I saw from his eyes, gazing upon a grave. Gazing upon a headstone in a language I couldn't read. Wormtail shuddered next to him.

"Soon, Wormtail," he said in that high-pitched shrieking hiss. "I just need the boy. All I need is the boy."

_The boy?_ I thought. _Is that me? Is he talking about me?_

Not that I would have been surprised. Still, something, deep in the back of my mind, told me that it wasn't me. Perhaps I was delving into Voldemort's mind. Perhaps I was in some kind of sick denial. Perhaps I was right.

I woke up.

It was still dark outside.

…

Potions class seemed to have changed significantly ever since Draco Malfoy joined Dumbledore's Army, weeks before. Ron suggested the apocalypse had finally come and Voldemort was going to kill us, but I seriously doubted that would happen. Hermione didn't have a theory, and that seemed to irritate her. She couldn't get her head around it. I think that was perhaps one of the things Hermione never understood - human behavior. Maybe that was because she knew books so well. Books were cold and unfeeling. They taught things, but they never actually _felt_. I thanked Merlin that she was so close to Ron because all he knew was emotion. They evened each other out. Tactics and passion. Creative genius.

Anyway, as I said, Potions had changed. Snape seemed just utterly, completely distracted. He'd write ingredients on the board and retreat into thoughts, practically letting the students do their work, with_out_ getting in trouble. It was a welcomed change. Draco Malfoy sat alone now. I wasn't sure if the Slytherins had deserted him or if he had deserted them. Either way, he was by himself, and Crabbe and Goyle and Pansy seemed distraught over the whole thing. They'd never gone a day without being told what to do. Maybe they were regretting their decision to act more liberated. Because all in all, they were still tied to their daddies by invisible puppet strings.

The one thing that _hadn't_ changed was that Malfoy was extremely good at Potions. There was no money involved in that class. Snape did have the tendency to play favorites (and I'm putting that lightly), but Draco seemed to know everything about Potions. I was almost jealous. Almost. He finished his work early every day, and spent the rest of the class period zoned out in thought, or writing something down that I couldn't see from my place in the back of the room. Though I could tell something was bothering him. The things he was writing never seemed to be humorous, but serious musings. He seemed very intrigued with them. I was curious, but I never asked about them.

I never found it my place.

(Draco Malfoy)

I'd had another dream. This time, it was much more vague, which broke the pattern. I wasn't sure why, but I heard voices, and I saw blood, but I couldn't make out much else.

"Row…Rowena… come here," the choked voice of Salazar Slytherin drifted among the walls, followed by a haggard breath.

There was a shifting sound, the ruffling of robes, and a soft hand touching his face. "Salazar… you should have never…"

"I know…" he whispered. "I know…"

"What will you do?" another voice came along, which probably came from Helga Hufflepuff.

"There is nothing left for me to do, Helga…. I am dying."

There was a loud cough and some more blood, and Rowena was crying.

Helga closed her eyes, silent for a moment. "Why did you kill Godric, Salazar? I have to know."

All he did was chuckle.

He died. I felt him slip away.

That had bothered me greatly. I knew I'd seen some strange things, but watching him die… that was frightening. I tried not to think about it, but it plagued my mind. Why was I seeing these things? What was connecting me so closely to Salazar Slytherin? I wasn't the heir of Slytherin. Hell, I'd begun to wonder if I even _liked_ Slytherin very much. I leaned against my hand, trying to focus. Something was itching in my chest.

…

Dumbledore's Army seemed to take on a bit of a hassle suddenly, that night. I couldn't manage to get much out of my wand, no matter what I did. Potter wasn't frustrated with me, unfortunately. He had more a worried look, which was more weathering than anything else. Usually when Potter had something to worry about, it was bad. It seemed every defensive spell I tried, I failed at. And that itching in my chest. Merlin, it was murder. By the end of practice, my hands were shaking.

"I… I don't understand…" I murmured. "It doesn't make sense. I was doing fine yesterday!"

"Are you sure you're moving your wand correctly?" Neville asked.

"Yes, I am _positive, Neville_," I replied through gritted teeth. I really didn't need the boy who could explode a cauldron with minimal ingredients asking me if what _I_ was doing was correct.

"Wells, try something else. Try an offensive spell, rather than a defensive," Ginny suggested, pulling out a jar from the cupboard with a spider crawling around on the inside.

I pointed my wand at it. "I can't think of anything."

"Just… say whatever comes to mind," Ginny said.

I closed my eyes. Suddenly, I didn't feel like me anymore. My thoughts drifted away and I felt my breath die. I could hear a voice in my head. Salazar's voice, yelling at Godric. _"Avada Kedavra!"_

When I came back around, I realized I had not only killed the spider, but blasted the jar to smithereens. My wand clattered against the floor, louder in the silence of everyone's staring. It was just like Blaise had died all over again. Within moments of that, I felt Ron's fist collide with my face. I let him punch me. I felt myself fly a bit, then slam against the ground with a resounding thud.

"You _idiot_! The Ministry can _track_ that!"

"I didn't _do_ it!" I cried out, a helpless defense. "I _swear_! Something else… someone else… was saying it. I… I don't know what happened. I just…"

"Maybe he was possessed, Ron," Ginny said, trying to protect me a little, but she wasn't sure as to why I had done it either and didn't appear to believe in her own theory.

"You don't understand-"

"What, you gonna go with Voldemort possessing you now that it can be your _trump card_? No way! I won't believe you."

"It wasn't Voldemort!"

"Then who was-"

"_**It was Salazar Slytherin!**_" I yelped, my voice breaking. Some of my hair fell in my face. "I know it was…. You… you _have_ to _believe_ me!"

"Please, that man's been dead for hundreds of years!" Zacharius shouted, among many nods and hums of agreement from his peers.

"I know that," I murmured, feeling trapped. "But… something… someone… it was him!"

Suddenly, I felt ashamed. I had shattered their trust in me. Nothing I could have said would have had them believing in me. I looked about the room for help of any form, perhaps even an escape, but I was too panicked to focus on one thing. My chest was beginning to hurt more than the bruise on my face, blooming right in the middle and spreading all the way out to my arms. I hung my head.

"I can't _make_ you believe me. I can only ask you to," I whispered, defeated.

There was silence. No one moved.

"I _know_ it's true!"

I looked to Harry, trying to read him, figure out what he thought, begging him for help with my eyes. But he eyed me with a look of confused disgust. I could read it in his eyes: _I can't believe we trusted you_. I stood on shaky legs, hands out, palms up, a gesture of humility.

"I didn't want to use the Killing curse! I didn't!"

I squeezed my fists together. "Easy to trust, easy to shun. Is that it?" My chest was hurting so immensely, I was having difficulty talking without straining. "Fine. I'll fight my own battles, even if they _are_ on your side! Call yourselves loyal! Call yourselves brave! Maybe that will help you sleep at night!"

I turned to leave.

"Wait!"

Everyone shifted to look at Hermione. She kept a stony look. "Veritaserum."

"What?" I asked.

"Drink Veritaserum and tell us the truth. Then, we can see what happened inside your head."

She handed me the flask. I drank it down, head raised to the ceiling as a crack of thunder boomed across the sky. "_**I was possessed by Salazar Slytherin!**_"

I took in a large breath, gasping against the pain in my chest. The ran began to fall down in buckets. It was heard all around the castle, the heavy pattering rain that kept people inside. A lightning flash occurred nearby. The light seemed to fill the castle with a foreboding, white light. I felt as if someone was squeezing my heart and lungs.

"There you have it," Ginny replied excitedly, glad to know she hadn't been betrayed. "It's true." She shot a glare at Ron, who ignored it.

"The Ministry can still _track_ that. We'll have to break up our meetings for awhile." Ron still seemed unimpressed.

"There's a war brewing, Weasley. You think they're going to be paying that much attention? Hell, the Ministry's probably already been infiltrated!"

"You _would_ know that, wouldn't you?" Ron growled.

"_**I'm on your fucking side, Weasley!**_" I suddenly screamed, the pain in my chest overwhelming. "Why don't you sit down on that big pillow of pride you have, shut up, and accept it. I am _**on your side**_! Get it?"

I could have punched him then and there if my chest hadn't hurt so badly. I was afraid to lift my arms from my sides, so I just stood there and seethed.

"I'm trying to earn your trust!" I said, calming down, but still quite irritated. "I understand that you think that your little dream world is filled with Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and naked Grangers over there, but the real world is different. You just have to trust my word!"

Ron flushed bright red. I wasn't sure if it was in suppressed anger, or in embarrassment at the mention of a naked Hermione Granger. Still, he was silent, and that was a welcome change. I let out a long breath that I couldn't remember breathing, and winced as the pain rolled through my veins.

Everyone was staring at me.

"Okay, show's over. Back to your dorms," Harry finally cut in and I felt like hitting him too, being that he had failed to address anything that had happened just then.

The students slowly made their way out of the room, sneaking looks back as they did so. The door shut behind them. I fell back against the wall, closing my eyes. Only Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny remained. Ron had back away, sitting against the opposite wall, darkly glowering at me. Not that I minded.

"I'm sorry, Malfoy," Harry finally said reluctantly. "I should have believed you."

"Yeah, you should have," I snapped back, but after a moment of thought, replied a bit more softly, tiredly. "You didn't really have any reason to though… did you…?"

"We were very easily led to be deceived," Hermione added regretfully.

"I don't even care anymore," I said, rubbing my chest absentmindedly with my hand.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked.

Ron cocked an eyebrow.

"My chest hurts," I replied, figuring being honest would be a pretty good idea after the blow-up I had had with the Weasley boy.

Hermione got that look that she got when studying and learning while the rest looked simply befuddled. That was no surprise. I waved it off.

"I'm going to bed."

"We'll walk you halfway," Harry offered, looking guilt-ridden.

I glanced at him, a bit irate still. "Do whatever you want."

The group walked with me, even Ron, which was surprising being that he hadn't said a word in the ten minutes or so it took to gather our things and start walking. He seemed to have calmed down, however, so I was fine with it. We were almost to the grand foyer when Harry halted. I nearly crashed into his back.

"Potter, what the-"

My throat closed up. There, in the middle of the floor, was Filch.

He was dead.

"Merlin…" Ron whispered.

Ginny's hands clasped over her mouth, and she looked quite sick. She had quite a reason to be. Filch had not died cleanly. He was lying in a large puddle of his own blood. His ugly, menacing features stood out strongly against the pale, bluish skin.

"Who did this?" Hermione asked, more to the air than to anyone in particular. She looked fear-stricken.

Even though none of us liked Filch in the least, his death had come as a shock. It had sent waves through me that left me reeling. Perhaps it wasn't the _fact_ that he was dead, but _who_ killed him. My chest was on fire by that point, burning inside like something was trying to escape. I gripped at it absently, my breath becoming harsher.

"Something's… wrong…" I said, falling to my knees on that staircase. My voice was sounding very far away.

Ginny grabbed my shoulders tightly to keep me from falling over. She leaned close to my ear and I could see the bright orange-auburn locks of hair in my peripheral vision.

"Hang on, Malfoy. We're gonna get you some help okay?"

"What's wrong with him?" Ron asked, sounding quietly scared.

"I… I don't know," Ginny replied.

"Something's coming," Harry said, his voice low and serious.

I felt like I was choking, but I knew I was breathing. I was getting just enough air to be miserable and conscious and completely in pain. I was thankful for Ginny's firm grip on my shoulders because I knew that if she didn't have a hold of me, I would have rolled down the stairs and right into Filch's dead body.

"Harry, look!" Ron cried out, pointing a shaky finger at an approaching figure.

I knew almost instantly who it was, from the glimmer of silver in the candlelight.

"Worm…tail…" I coughed.

"There! There he is! We found him!"

The short metallic arm attached to Wormtail's shoulder pointed to me.

"What… the hell… did you _do to me_?!" I yelled, my chest feeling as if it'd been ripped in half.

I couldn't say anymore, however, because a swarm of Dementors gathered around all of us and it was as if every happy thought had been yanked from my soul, leaving only fear, sadness, and that pain. Oh, Merlin that _pain_. I couldn't do it. I couldn't do the Patronus. I knew I couldn't. It was too much. I couldn't even lift my head, much less my arm. And suddenly Ginny's grip was gone, and her scream filled my ears. Someone had grabbed her by the hair, yanking her away from me. I tumbled down the stairs to the floor. Wormtail grabbed me by the back of my shirt.

"Malfoy! Fight back! _Fight back_!"

But I couldn't. The Dementors were swarming me, grasping me with those cold, scaly fingers.

_They're sucking my soul… and I can't stop them. I'm gone. It's over… It's all over…_

"_**MALFOY**_!"

_**End Chapter Eight**_

(Author's Note: Oh, I am evil, aren't I? Sorry, I had to do it. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. 08.22.2007)


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter Nine**_

_All that I keep thinking throughout this whole flight  
__Is it could take my whole damn life to make this right  
__This splintered mast I'm holding on won't save me long  
__Because I know fine well that what I did was wrong  
-Snow Patrol_

(Harry Potter)

"_**MALFOY**_!" I screamed out rushing forward, wand in hand. Hermione grabbed my arm suddenly, however and I whirled on her, looking at her as if she were crazy. "Hermione, what the hell-"

"Harry, wait!" she exclaimed. "Look." She pointed softly at the lifeless form of Draco Malfoy, held limply in the cold, scaly hands of the Dementor.

The retched sucking sound filled the room almost sickeningly, and I felt like I was going to puke. "Hermione-"

"That's _not_ Draco Malfoy's soul," she said, eyebrows furrowed in a concentrated way.

"_What?_" Ron finally broke in.

Hermione kept her finger on the boy. I turned. Ron turned.

"You see?"

"No, I don't," Ginny growled.

Hermione rolled her eyes then went into her explanation, in a matter-of-fact voice, "When a person's soul is released from their body, it comes out in a white, shining orb. This orb, however, is not white. It is black."

"And this matters because…"

"Because it's not _Malfoy's_ soul!" Hermione exasperated, frustrated. "It must have been one that was stored within his body."

"You can _do_ that?!" Ron and I both asked incredulously.

"Well, it's a bit of dark magic, but sometimes wizard and witches can place a soul within another person. Given, they don't _live_ within that person, so if the body is dead, it does not work as a shell for it. Usually, it's the case of a close family member dying and the soul being placed within a child. That way the child can meet the family member, even if it _is_ just a dream."

"Then why couldn't my _parents'_…"

"Because they were killed with a curse. Usually a natural death is required to be placed within another human body. That way, the soul dies less quickly."

Ginny seemed to take a moment of thought, then her eyes darkened and her face paled. "Then _that's_ the soul they're after. They don't want to _kill_ Malfoy. They want the soul that was within him!"

"But why do they want it?" Ron asked.

"Does it matter?!" I broke in, then charged after the Dementors.

(Draco Malfoy)

_"Expecto Patronum!"_

I fell to the ground in a heap. I could bring myself to stand or sit up or anything. I just pressed my face against that cold cobblestone floor, surrounded by a bright white light. My chest felt empty and my stomach felt sick. I kept my eyes closed, not wanting to think, just to remain numb. So many things had plagued my mind, so many terrible, scary, violent things…. I was shaking quite terribly by that point, and Wormtail's screechy voice had blasted throughout the room.

"I've got it! I've got it!"

_"Expelliarmus!"_ Harry shouted, but by the sound of it, it was too late.

_Wormtail got away,_ I thought to myself silently.

My eyes fluttered open halfway. It wasn't over yet. Dementors were still flying around the room at top speeds, and I could feel ice shards in my hair where my sweat had stuck to it. I shakily pulled myself up to my hands and knees, but I was overwhelmingly weak, and I was sick all over the floor.

"Harry!" Ginny yelped.

I heard her wand crack against the floor. I raised my head with a great effort and saw the girl fall to the ground, that revolting hand wrapping around her ankle. I shakily pulled myself up to my feet, trembling on knocking knees.

_"Ex… Expecto Patronum,"_ I coughed. Nothing.

_"Expecto… Patronum!"_ I tried again. Nothing.

I closed my eyes. _Focus. Focus. Focus._

_"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"_ A bright light blasted forth and straight through the Dementor. Then all four of us were shooting them off into the room.

I was screaming out incoherencies, fighting off the Dementors, and something felt so good about watching them blast into millions of pieces. Then people were calling out my name in loud fashions, but I didn't know why.

Until I was falling, falling, falling, into the arms of the girl Weasley. I was unconscious for a few moments, then I came back around to reality, looking up into chocolate brown eyes.

"You did good," she said softly, as girls tend to talk when they're holding someone sick or hurt.

"Thanks."

"_Damn it_!" Harry yelled out suddenly, causing me to jolt as well as Ginny. "He got away!"

It came rushing back within moments, what had happened to me. "Wait… wait! I thought I was dead!"

There was a moment of silence between everyone as they stared at me. "…What?" I probably sounded irritated.

"Malfoy, did you have another soul placed within your body?" Hermione finally asked.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I replied, quite curtly.

"They took another soul from your body, Malfoy, rather than your original soul, that of course, keeps you alive right now."

I blinked a few times, taking in her words. I was suddenly aware that I was lying in Ginny's lap. _I passed out for a minute I guess._ She was softly, absent-mindedly stroking the hair on the top of my head. It felt good, so I didn't say anything.

"Why would I have another soul in my body?"

"I don't know," Hermione sighed.

Ron, in the meantime, gave a soft slap to Ginny's hand. "Don't do that."

"Merlin, Ron. He passed out. I didn't even realize it."

She stopped stroking my hair. I felt a little lonelier suddenly.

"It doesn't matter _why_ Malfoy had the soul within him. Wormtail got it. He got _away_." Harry looked absolutely ashamed of himself.

"Don't beat yourself up," Ginny said comfortingly. I had a feeling she'd be a very good mother one day. She seemed to enjoy it so.

"Yeah," I sighed, sitting up slowly, feeling my bones pop. "If there's one thing that prat knows how to do, it's run."

Harry eyed me for a moment, then offered me a hand up. I took it. He helped me up.

"You did good, Malfoy. Great Patronus."

"It was… difficult," I said, not wanting to admit how extremely difficult it really had been. "But no big deal."

A smile spread across Harry's face and his eyes shined incredibly. _That's a good guy's smile, _I thought. _That's actually kind of annoying._

Not long after that, Hogwarts' staff came rushing upon us. From what I gathered, some Slytherins had set off an extreme distraction in the dungeons that left the lobby of the school quite unguarded. Easy for the Dementors and Wormtail to sneak in. We found a place outside on one of the balconies to talk about it. _But why? _I thought. _Why go through all this trouble?_ It had been dangerous, and it had been planned to a tee. _What made that soul so… so important?_

That was almost more bothersome than the fact that I had had another soul inside of me. "We need to find out how and why they did it," I said, suddenly determined, though my legs protested, wobbling as I stood.

"We can't get in the Library this late. We should wait."

"But I need to _know_ what they're doing!" I felt my heartbeat pick up suddenly, adrenaline rushing through me. "It's bad. I know it. I can feel it."

"You should still have somewhat of a connection to that soul, yes," Hermione added as an afterthought.

"See what you can see, Malfoy," Ginny said.

I shut my eyes slowly. _Focus. Concentrate. See what you can see…_

A pain blasted through my chest as a vision exploded into my mind. I could see a green glow, and a creeping, corpse-like hand. And Voldemort. Voldemort was there. He was smiling. _Oh… no… What is he doing?_

Unfortunately, my eyes rolled back forward and I was welcomed by curious faces of Gryffindors. I shook my head. "Nothing I could make out."

"Damn," Ron muttered.

"We'll figure it out. We just have to give it time," Ginny said optimistically.

"Wait for it to play out," Hermione added, agreeing.

"Usually when we do that, he tries to kill us," Harry added as well, quite a bit more bitter than the others.

I think I laughed then. I don't know why I thought it was so damn funny, but something about it cracked me up.

They just stared at me.

…

I didn't have anymore dreams after that night, none involving Salazar Slytherin and his fellows at least. I had an interesting one where Blaise and I were sneaking into my own manor, and a nightmare of Hermione Granger being my teacher. Then there was one about the Weasley girl… well, we'll leave it at that. Hey, she may be a Weasley, but she's quite pretty (not to mention the lovely view of her breasts that I had from lying in her lap). Anyway, a few weeks or so passed after that night without any spectacularly horrible event, and we went on with our lives for awhile.

It was starting to get cold out, and Christmastime was drawing near. It bothered me a bit, quite honestly. _Do I go home? Do I stay here? What could I investigate if I were to go home? Would they find out that I'm friends with Potter? What about the attack? Do they know? Does _Mum_ know? Where do I go? Can I survive Hogwarts by myself? I-_

"Mister Malfoy!"

I let out a sound somewhere between a wail and a squeak as McGonagall called my name. _Now I'm gonna fail Transfiguration! Damn it!_

"Mister Malfoy, I _do_ suggest that you pay attention in this class, before you _fail my test_," McGonagall said, eyeing me down her nose.

"S-sorry," I stammered softly, looking down at my note-less paper.

For a moment, her eyes changed, looking quite sad, pitying me for a moment. I let her do it, rather than talk back to her. It wouldn't help my situation. She went back to teaching; I went back to questioning myself, deep in my mind.

This time, however, I stared directly at the board and scribbled notes that I didn't even know.

…

It was the last Dumbledore's Army meeting before Christmas break, and I found myself getting antsy again. I was snippy to people, and constantly zoning out in class. Luckily, around Christmastime, nobody did much attention-paying. We were to visit Hogsmeade the next day, then go home, or wherever we were going. I sat in the corner of the room, watching a sort of Dumbledore's Army Christmas party.

"Ahem…"

I glanced up slowly. Ron was standing there, quite reluctant, looking like he really didn't want to be there at the moment.

"Yes?" I asked.

He pulled a small box out of his pocket and handed it to me. "…Happy Christmas… It's from all of us."

I stared at the small gift in awe and shock. "Th-thank you…"

I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"No hard feelings, eh?" He looked a slight green just saying it.

I stood up and shook his hand. "Happy Christmas… Weasel."

I smirked. He gave a weak smile, then returned to the festivities. I held the box firmly in my hand, then rose it to my line of vision. The party had kind of lulled for a moment.

"Go ahead," I heard, looking up to see Neville with a smile. "Open it."

I blinked a few times, then pulled the lid off the box. Laying within it was a coin.

"What-"

"You are now an official member of Dumbledore's Army," Ginny announced happily.

For some reason, I was incredibly moved, though I didn't show it. I held the coin in my hand as if it were a priceless possession, one I wanted to protect. I glanced around the room at the staring faces and smiles and felt my heart ache for moment. We all had a reason for being there. We all had a reason to be against the Dark Lord. We all had something that had happened. We had all lost.

And suddenly, there was a connection between me and them that I'd never thought of.

"I… am honored to be the first Slytherin in Dumbledore's Army," I said with finality.

They broke into a roar of applause. They were applauding _me_! On a roll, I decided, then and there, that I didn't care what others thought. It was time that I accepted myself. I made my choice. I reached over and grabbed a glass of pumpkin juice and held it in the air.

"To a future!" I cried out above the room.

They repeated it in a loud uproar, "_TO A FUTURE_!"

It was strange for me, but the Christmas spirit had gotten to me, and I was almost insanely happy with the way things were going, no matter how bad they could get. I drank; I ate; I had fun. And it all felt so right.

But I knew, deep down, that things that felt right never lasted.

Maybe, just maybe, that was why I made the most of it.

_**End Chapter Nine**_

(Author's Note: This isn't my favorite chapter, but I feel it is quite influential to the plot. I'm trying to work this fic to a close quickly because I only have until the end of September, and my life is about to pick up quickly with my Drama class getting ready to perform two plays. I'm trying to make Draco change, yet still stay in character. Unfortunately, in this chapter, I don't think I really pulled it off as much as I wanted. I'm still working though, so I hope to make the next one a little less jumpy, and a little more in character. Please comment. Your feedback is what makes me a better writer, and it helps me bring better chapters to you. Thanks for reading!)


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter Ten**_

_I wish i was like you,  
Easily amused,  
Find my nest of salt,  
Everything my fault,  
I'll take all the blame,  
Aqua seafoam shame,  
Sun burn with freezerburn,  
Choking on the ashes of her enemies.  
-Nirvana_

(Draco Malfoy)

I failed my Transfiguration test.

I wasn't surprised, but it felt like another extra _whap_ to the back of my skull. I didn't need the extra frustration. I quickly crumpled the parchment and tossed it in the trash, angry. Hermione, of course, excelled, which I hated her for at the moment. She gave me a smile on the way out the door, more than likely to try to be friendly, but my ego whispered _She thinks she's better than you_, and I sneered back.

I doubt she took that kindly… but I shook it off. Her opinion of me didn't strike me as very important anyway.

I was still unsure of what I was going to do. With Christmas right around the corner, I felt like I was stuck at a fork in the road. Then there was the Yule Ball. I had been asked by Daphne Greengrass, but I refused, being that I fancied she was doing it for Pansy, rather than for herself. After all, she bickered with me all the rest of the time we'd known each other. At least my power had come back a bit easier. I could do my spells again. I sighed as I made my way out onto the grounds, wanting to feel the nip of cold air, just to make sure I could still feel _anything_.

"Damn… I don't know how much more I can take…" I muttered, my head aching a bit.

_"You don't have to take it anymore you know. You could just let go."_

I whirled around. "Who's that?"

There was no one there. My heart was pounding in my chest. That voice… it was so familiar… but my memory could no longer trigger it. _I'm going crazy._ My breath was coming in quick bursts. I wanted to run, get the adrenaline out. Maybe jump in the lake, no matter how freezing it was. But most of all, I wanted to find out _who_ was speaking to me. My nerves were shot. And it was starting to snow.

"Malfoy?"

I jumped with such nervous ferocity that I nearly fell over. "_Merlin,_ Potter!" I hissed, clutching at my chest. "Don't sneak up on me!"

He seemed more amused than sorry. Of course, I would have been too.

"Sorry. Why are you standing out here?"

"No reason," I replied automatically.

"That's quite a lie there, Malfoy," Harry replied with a heavy sigh, taking a few steps to stand next to me.

"Oh, shut it, Potter. And you should go. It's dangerous for us to be seen next to each other."

"The teachers saw us last night. Surely they must be suspicious."

"_Dumbledore_ maybe. Everyone else probably assumed it was a coincidence. I… haven't been very… focused… lately." I really didn't feel comfortable talking to him about it, so I trailed away, staring out over the lake.

Potter blew in his hands and rubbed them together, then crossed his arms to fight the cold. "You ran into the door in Potions this morning."

I flinched mentally and physically. "What the hell possessed you to think I wanted to be _reminded_ of that?!"

He jumped a little. Perhaps I snapped a bit too harshly. I had cut my eyes at him so quickly that they hurt. I let out a long sigh after that, but I didn't feel any better. I decided to distract myself by trying to catch snowflakes on my tongue. Harry shoved his hands in his cloak pockets.

"You didn't understand that I want you to leave, did you?" I muttered after a few minutes of silence.

Harry chuckled slightly. "You're obviously having a bad day."

"And you're obviously enjoying it," I replied quite scathingly. "Why don't you run along and be with someone who _enjoys_ your company."

"Just seems to me like you need someone to talk to."

"The only person I can talk to is dead," I murmured, feeling a pang in my heart. "I'm sure as hell not talking to you."

"Come now, Malfoy. I'm just trying to help."

"You've already helped!" I snapped. "That doesn't make me one of your little _buddies_. I need you assistance. I'll help you in the fight against the man who killed my friend, but I am _not_ your friend. Got that?"

He stared at me strangely, not disbelievingly, not angrily. In fact, it was quite hard to read. Potter was a bit hard to read sometimes. I just stared back.

"That's fine, Malfoy," he said, turning to head back to the castle. "I was just trying to return the favor."

I stared at him.

"So… tell me if you need anything. See you," he said, waving, and moving back up to the castle steps.

"Y-yeah… see you…" I stammered, surprised.

(Narcissa Malfoy)

"_**Dementors**_?!" I screamed out, hearing it echo across the room.

Severus flinched. I didn't see it completely, for I held a letter from Dumbledore in my hand.

"He wanted you to know," he said.

"Is he alright?!"

"Yes, yes, he's fine," Severus insisted, holding his hands up in almost a defensive gesture. Perhaps he thought I was going to fly off the handle. I settled down a little. "In fact, he summoned a strong Patronus. I can only wonder how he learned it."

"A _Patronus_? Seriously?" The whole thing was bad for my nerves, I knew. I sat down. "How in Merlin's name did he--"

"I… have my suspicions," Severus replied. "I'm sure Dumbledore does too. He led me to them, actually."

"What is that, Severus?" I said softly, leaning against my hand.

"I believe he and the Potter boy have decided to fight," Severus replied hesitantly.

My eyes were hurting. I leaned back against the chair, closing them. "Oh, Merlin…"

Severus remained silent, sitting across from me in the matching armchair. He laced his fingers in his lap, staring at his hands so he wouldn't have to look at me. He had the tendency to do that. _Do I really look that sad and stressed all the time?_

"Things are about to get harder, aren't they, Severus?" I whispered regretfully.

"We can't control what Draco does now. He's always been a stubborn boy. He'll do what he wants. Who knows? He could be the difference we need to knock Voldemort down."

"Perhaps," I said, then opened my eyes to meet his with sincerity, "But I worry, Severus. Voldemort is up to something. I don't know what, but he's got Lucius running all over the country. And why did he attack my son? Why did he just attack Draco?"

Severus rubbed his temples. "I don't know. To be honest, I've been a bit curious. The next Death Eater meeting I can make, I'll give you all the information I know."

I watched Snape for a moment. He looked tired, more tired than I was. His face was getting more lined, and he looked older than he really was. I could remember him in his youth where, even when oppressed by James and Sirius, he had a bit of a spark in his eyes, a spark of intelligence, of determination. It was barely flickering now, dying with age and loss and stress.

"Severus… is this all worth it?"

"What do you mean?"

"This… between-the-sides thing… it's going to be the end of us… and now Draco…"

"That's the only reason you're fighting against Voldemort, Narcissa. You want to keep your boy safe. But Draco is his father's son. He's cowardly on many points, but if anyone he cares about is in danger, he's ready to jump in. Lucius was like that when he was younger."

"I remember. He gave Lestrange a black eye for touching my arse," I mused almost sadly. "He's… not like that anymore."

"He's taken on too much, Cissy. He decided to do the dangerous thing to feed his ego and now his pride's been crushed in Voldemort's hand. He's become the Dark Lord's dog. Lucius went astray when he started worrying more about himself than his family. I'm sure he regrets it, in his own way…"

"I just don't know if I even care anymore," I sighed. "I haven't seen Lucius in months, and I could go a few more without him."

"Now, now, Cissa-"

"Don't argue with me Severus. He infuriates me."

"Then why in Merlin's name did you marry him?"

I sat there for a moment, suddenly frozen. He glanced at me, then back at his hands. "Well?"

"Well, I loved someone… but he didn't love me. So I moved on. I guess I loved Lucius for awhile, but my heart just doesn't seem to be with him anymore."

Severus looked at me, somewhat surprised. "Really? Who was the other man you loved?"

I gave him a smile. "I don't believe I have to tell you that."

He returned the smile in good humor. "Fine, fine, but you can't say you haven't sparked some curiosities. There were many boys that were in love with _you_, but I thought Lucius was the only one you were ever interested in."

I grinned. "Yes, I was quite a catch back then."

"Back then? Please, Cissa, you haven't aged a day."

"Severus, you're making me blush."

"It's true. I suppose that's the veela in your blood."

"My mother was half-veela, yes."

"Me, well, I guess I'm literally getting older by the day."

"Oh, Severus," I said softly, sadly.

"Don't pity me, Cissa. I deserve everything I am paid. I made so many mistakes when I was young…"

"Severus, you didn't know. You'd grown up among Muggles. You had no idea what you were-"

"Oh, don't start, Narcissa," he interrupted, looking clearly upset, but more with himself than me. "I knew damn well what I was doing. My friends were doing awful things, but I ignored it. I wanted to be considered cool in my House, and because of that, I lost my only true friend---" He paused, lost in an agonizing memory. "I… can't believe I called her…a Mudblood."

His eyes glistened in silence, though he did not shed tears. It hurt me to see him so. "She wasn't your only true friend, Severus."

"Yes, yes, I know, Cissa…. Don't mind me. I'm just feeling sorry for myself."

I smiled, standing from my chair, my gown flowing down by my feet, and crossed to his chair. He kept his head down, gazing at his hands, as he always did. I reached out and placed my hand against his cheek. It was cold, but soft. He lifted his head to face me, his eyes questioning.

"You were always so obsessed with that Lily girl…" I murmured. "You never even noticed me."

He swallowed heavily, surprised. "P-pardon?"

"I dated Lucius because I didn't have anything better to do, Severus…"

"Did you… like me, Narcissa? _You?_"

I was flattered. "Yes, Severus."

I pulled my hand away, suddenly remembering where I was. _Don't lose yourself, Narcissa. Don't let the stress get to you…_ "It… doesn't really matter now, though, does it? We're both old. We both have lives…"

Severus stood, and he was taller than me again, eyeing me down his nose with charcoal eyes, confused. "But… why me, Cissa?"

"You were… _kind_, Severus. The kindest in Slytherin at the time. Probably the only kind one in the bunch."

"Kind? No…. I was terrible."

"Oh, Severus. No… no, you weren't. You were different."

My blood was rushing, and I wasn't sure why. The situation had changed. My heart began to hammer against my chest and I found my eyes cast to the floor. I was suddenly ashamed of myself.

"Don't, Cissa. Don't," Severus said, placing a slender finger under my chin and lifting it to his face once again.

Tears began to stream from the edges of my eyes. I was scared of what was happening, of what I was about to do, but I was fully aware of it. I wanted to do it. I was angry at Lucius. I was scared for Draco. I wanted to go back to the days when things were easy. I wanted to be a young girl again. I wanted to feel beautiful. I wanted to have fun.

But most of all, I wanted to kiss him.

So I did.

(Severus Snape)

It happened so suddenly that I hardly realized exactly _what_ had happened until she pulled away, looking like a sad puppy. She was… ashamed. I did not. Not at all, actually. Of course, she had a life beyond mine. She had a family that she had worked very hard to keep together and failed at. I was trembling, I realized, staring down at her as she refused to look at me, afraid she'd see something she didn't want. That beautiful woman that had worked so hard for so long and ended up with everything in the world and nothing she wanted…. She was just standing there, gazing at the floor in humiliation, and I pitied her. She thought she had made a mistake, because it had been so long since she had been allowed to do something she wanted. I reached out and cupped her cheek in my palm, gesturing to her that she was not in trouble. She was fine.

"Oh… oh, Severus. I'm… I'm sorry-"

I returned her kiss with ferocity, rather than wait for her apology. She had nothing to apologize for. She gave a quick gasp of surprise, then dived in. I fancy we both knew how wrong it was, but I think by that time, we'd stopped caring. My entire mind had shut off the outside world, and the only thing I gave a damn about at the moment was her. We broke apart after a few moments, our breath coming in short gasps and dying into silence. It was only then that I realized we'd fallen back against a wall and that I had her hands wrapped around my neck, mine around her waist.

_BAP BAP BAP! _We pulled apart almost immediately. I stumbled and fell backwards into an armchair. There was an owl at the window, knocking on it impatiently with its beak. I glowered at it, angry that it frightened me so much. Narcissa seemed a little flustered for a moment, faltered on the spot, then rushed over to get the message tied to the owl's foot. I let out a long sigh. Yes, she was right. Things were going to get harder.

We just weren't aware of how much.

_**End Chapter Ten**_

(Author's Note: So the affair begins. There's much more to come. I've been planning the next bits of this for awhile, and hopefully, can have them typed in soon. I've _got_ to get this done by the end of September, so I'm doing my best. There will be a little DracoxGinny in either the next chapter or the one after that, but I hate to say, it'll probably pretty much taper off after that. Some interesting events to come. Yes, indeed. See you next chapter!)


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter Eleven**_

_You say you wander your own land  
But when I think about it  
I don't see how you can  
You're aching, you're breaking  
And I can see the pain in your eyes  
Says everybody's changing  
And I don't know why  
-Keane_

(Draco Malfoy)

The common room was unnaturally silent when I stepped through the portrait hole. Pansy was sitting in a rickety looking, emerald armchair. Crabbe and Goyle had taken the sofa, and Daphne Greengrass had taken the other armchair. All of them eyed me with looks of worry, or maybe of contempt. They were hard to read.

"Good evening, Draco," Daphne offered in that overly-sweet voice that reminded me a little of Professor Umbridge.

"Good evening," I coughed, curtly, headed to the dormitories, wanting to get out.

"How are you doing?" she chimed in again, stopping me before I could make it to my bedroom.

"Fine," I replied through gritted teeth. "Goodnight, Daphne-"

"So, tell me, Draco. Who are you planning on going to the Yule Ball with?"

I didn't look back at her, but I'm sure she sensed how aggravated I was. "I'm probably not going with anyone. Why?"

"Oh, no reason. I just found it _awful_ strange that you've turned down every Slytherin that has asked you so far."

"You mean… you?" I snapped. She flinched a little, and her cheeks flushed with rage. Still, she kept her composure.

"Well, why refuse me? Were you planning on going with Pansy again?"

I gave a bitter laugh, that died upon the room. "I have nothing to do with Pansy Parkinson any longer, and I don't plan to even look at her for the rest of my life, if I can help it."

The message chilled the room, and I had no problem with that.

"Well, who the hell are you going to take then? Some… some _Gryffindor girl?_" Pansy suddenly shouted, giving away how much I had hurt her with my words.

On a roll, I finally turned around and shot a death glare at the others in the room. "I would rather date a Gryffindor girl than even be _seen_ with scum like you."

With that, I whirled on my heels, stormed into my room, and slammed the door behind me. I leapt into bed and yanked the curtains around me, wanting to be alone. I felt sick to my stomach. They were up to something. I knew they had to have been. I sighed, laying back against my pillow, basking in the dark. I knew I couldn't remain there long - I needed to write a letter to Mum (though I still had to figure out what to say), I needed to practice my Patronus, and I was already craving dinner.

After about half an hour, I rolled out of bed, frustrated with my growling stomach, hoping to Merlin that the common room would be empty when I stepped out. Luckily, it was. Dinner was beginning, so they had already headed to the Great Hall. _Good,_ I thought. I didn't want to put up with them. The corridors were crowded, mainly with first years, who always banded together to fend off the older students, looking like scared little animals.

The Great Hall was astonishingly full of people, considering how close Christmas was. Many left before term was over, just so they could start their vacations and such. I ran a hand through my hair and gazed over the room. My eyes landed on the Gryffindor table. Harry and his friends were chatting. I felt my toes wiggle a little, almost tempted to join them. They looked like they were having so much fun. I definitely didn't want to sit with the Slytherin's especially with their oh-so-bothersome questions. I moved toward the Slytherin table, halted, then took a seat at the very end, accompanied by no one.

Dinner was lonely.

After I'd finished feeding my growling stomach, I sat still, waiting for more people to leave before trying for the door. A presence behind me caught my attention. I turned slowly.

"Why so blue, little ferret?" Ginny asked with a grin spreading all the way across her face. I swore it could touch her ears.

"Don't call me that," I replied flatly.

She chuckled and I huffed, leaning on my hand. She sat down next to me.

"Don't you have to get back to your Gryffindor friends?"

"Not really. You just looked lonely, that's all."

I gazed at her. She always struck me as odd. I'd never known anyone to be so kind to me before, except perhaps from my mother, but that was different.

"So you just decided to come over here and… talk to me?"

"Well, we're friends aren't we?" She blinked as if everyone should have known that.

I didn't quite know how to answer that. After yelling at Potter earlier that day for the same thing she was doing, I was at a loss for words. Of course, it was always easier to yell at Potter. He wasn't pretty like she was, quite obviously. That and he was, well, Potter, of course.

"I… don't know," I replied, quite honestly.

"That makes sense," Ginny replied. She wasn't being sarcastic. "This is totally new to you."

"Yes… it is."

"It's dangerous to be hanging around with Gryffindors," Ginny added, "When you're a Slytherin."

"I don't care what _they_ think. It's…" I had no idea what I was talking about, so I let it die there.

Ginny folded her hands and placed her chin on top of them. "Quidditch match coming up."

I stared at her for a moment. "Quidditch?"

"Yeah. We're fighting Ravenclaw. You gonna be there?"

"Of… of course." I nodded absently.

She seemed a bit bored in all honesty. I didn't know why she was sitting with me still. Dinner was clearing out. There were only a few people left. One of them was Daphne who was eyeing me as ifs he could set me aflame. I glowered at her back, then turned to Ginny. She was twisting a piece of auburn hair around her finger. She glanced at me.

"Your hair's falling," she stated, reaching up to push some of my hair back into its mold.

Don't get me wrong. Ginny wasn't the most beautiful girl in the world. I wasn't infatuated with her. She had a little weight on her, but her personality bubbled over like a brewing cauldron. Her eyes were a deep, coppery brown, a very unique color that went with her hair somehow. I leaned on my hand and watched her for a moment as she gracefully twisted her hands about.

"Listen…" I said, making up my mind. "Would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me?"

I felt Daphne's eyes stabbing the back of my skull. Ginny gave me a glazed look, surprised. I felt the corners of my mouth twist a bit into a smirk.

"I thought we weren't even friends, and that it's dangerous to hang out with a Gryffindor," she said, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Well, in all honesty, I think it'd be quite fun to piss off Daphne Greengrass. And your brother's conniption should be quite interesting."

Her face broke into a large grin that lit up the room. "So does that make us friends then?"

I sighed. "I suppose there's no fighting it, is there?"

"Then I'd love to go with you," she said, smiling softly. "I'll meet you in the foyer tomorrow at eight."

She stood and sauntered out of the Great Hall, stopping to give me a wave goodbye.

_"Well, who the hell are you going to take then? Some… some _Gryffindor girl_?" _

_Hmm,_ I thought. _Ironic._

"Draco?"

I turned. Daphne and Pansy were standing there looking positively infuriated. "Why the hell were you talking to that- that…"

"Kind of unladylike to curse, isn't it Daphne?" I replied coolly. "And I asked her to the Yule Ball."

"_What?_"

By that point I was beyond amused. I turned away, shaking my head. "You two…"

"What about us?!" Pansy suddenly shrieked. Students looked up at the sound.

"You need to start thinking for yourselves," I said with finality. "And stop talking to me, as I've already told you. Goodnight."

I was surprised at how much better I felt after that.

(Severus Snape)

I woke up on the Malfoys' couch, suffering from a terribly sore neck. The letter from the night before had been addressed to Lucius Malfoy, and Lucius alone. It remained unopened on the table. I couldn't remember falling asleep, but judging by the blanket that had been laid ever-so-carefully on my form, I knew Narcissa had let me sleep. I sat up, rubbing my neck, blinking the sleep out of my eyes and looking for a clock. When I finally found one, it read nine o' clock in the morning.

I groaned.

There was no way I would make it to school on time.

"Good morning," came a soft, feminine voice from the doorway.

I turned my head quickly, then regretted it as I flinched at the large pain it caused. "Ow!"

Narcissa smiled, floating over and taking a seat next to me. "Oh, poor baby."

"Cissa, don't," I said flatly.

She chuckled a little. "Don't worry. I told Dumbledore through a Floo that you were investigating some things. You won't be in trouble."

"You know me well," I replied.

She massaged my shoulders and neck. "Of course I do."

I sighed, feeling the remnants of the night before coming back to me. It made my lips tingle at the very thought. "Narcissa, we--"

I wasn't quite sure how to finish the sentence so I didn't. Her hands paused for a mere moment, then continued.

"It… was a mistake… wasn't it?" I murmured.

She lay her head on my shoulder. "No. I was perfectly aware of what I was doing."

"I know you were aware of it, Cissa, but-"

"Just don't, Severus. Don't start." Her voice became suddenly strained.

I sat very still for a moment. "…Cissa…"

"I can't take it anymore, Severus. I can't. Lucius is never home, and when he is, we're fighting. I know I loved him once, Severus. I know I did. But I don't now. I can't… not when he gives up his own son for… for…"

"For what?" I eyed her suddenly.

"For…" She stopped looking at me, the crystal blue eyes shifting to another part of the room.

Within moments, I seized the letter from the table and ripped it open.

"No, Severus-"

"_Lucius--_" I read aloud, not caring for Narcissa's protests. "_The plan has been set into action. We need your boy_…. No signature."

Tears dotted Narcissa's eyes. I crumpled the letter and threw it in the fire. "Damn it! Why in Merlin does he want Draco for?"

I wanted to throw something, but I refrained. Narcissa bowed her head.

"I don't know, Severus…. I wish I did, but I don't. I'm powerless here. If they find out I'm trying to get Draco away from them, they'll kill us both. I can't put him in that kind of danger either."

"I'll find out, Cissa. I promise."

"No, Severus. If they catch you sniffing around they'll kill you!"

"What else am I to do, Narcissa!" I yelled out suddenly. "There must be _something!_ I can't just… sit around! I can't! I can't keep coming here to report to you bad news and w-watch…"

I closed my eyes, feeling a migraine coming on. "I… have to get back to school."

I turned to move past her and she kissed me softly. "Please… be careful."

I cast my eyes away. "I will…"

(Ginny Weasley)

"You're _what?!_"

I flinched, but a smile spread across my face at the same time.

"Oh, bugger off, Ronald," I replied. "He's a good guy now."

"He's still a prat, though!" Ron exclaimed as if it was completely obvious. "Why couldn't you go to the Yule Ball with someone like… like Harry?"

"Because you wouldn't like that either?" I replied, questioning, leaning on a hand against the armchair.

Harry in the meantime looked bemused.

"That's not true! I mean… it's… it's _Malfoy,_ Ginny!"

"We're going as friends, Ron. Don't do this, please!" I rolled my eyes.

"Friends?" Ron's voice was a quiet squeak.

"Friends," I answered.

Harry looked at me as if I had grown tentacles or something. "But he said-"

"Enough you two. I'm going to bed."

I tossed my hair and headed to my dorm room, leaving the boys in a stunned silence.

It was pretty cool to think about going to the Yule Ball with Draco Malfoy.

_**End Chapter Eleven**_

(Author's Note: Filler…. Ugh. I loathe this chapter. Probably my worst one, but the next ones will be better. Thanks for reading!)


	12. Chapter 12

_**Chapter Twelve**_

_  
Even in this dumb dance alone  
Big ups to all my friends  
Cause I don't wanna be black, don't wanna be white  
Don't wanna be obvious  
Making you a promise that I'll go out swinging  
While I'm singing this song for us**  
**-Caleb Kane**  
**_

(Ginny Weasley)

I was curling my hair.

That, and I was glancing at Hermione in the mirror every few seconds or so. She was giving me _that_ look. The _Ginny-you've-gone-and-done-something-stupid-again_ look.

"Hermione, please stop looking at me like that."

"I'm not looking at you in any particular way," Hermione replied, but she was obviously lying. Her voice got a bit higher when she lied.

I sighed heavily, hoping she'd get the message that she was annoying me. "He's on our side. I don't know why everyone has such a problem with it."

"Yes, Ginny, but… Malfoy?" Hermione pressed two fingers to her forehead. Ginny laughed to herself. Hermione could never stand conundrums.

"Yes," I said, a bit harshly, "Malfoy. I don't remember having to ask you who I could go with."

I flicked my wand and another few strands of hair bounced into ringlets. Hermione crossed her arms and paced a few moments.

"I don't know, Ginny. He may be on our side, but…"

"But what?"

"He can be awfully cruel, no matter whose side he's on."

Finished with my hair, I turned to her. "He's a person, just like us. I guess I'm just the only one who's excepted that."

I pulled the hair back on my head in a sort of bun, then crossed to the closet, sifting through the clothes. "I think I'll wear this one."

It wasn't a brand new dress. In fact, my mother had worn it when she was much, much younger. It was a pale yellow with a creamy shawl, and I had always admired it, but never had a chance to wear it. Hermione was obviously irritated as she yanked on her dress. I did like it though, a lovely pastel blue that sparkled when it caught the right light. I knew Ron's jaw would drop. _Come to think of it, I don't even know who Harry's going with…_I sighed, pushing my feet into so matching flats (I always loathed high heels. I could never ever walk in them.).

"I'll see you downstairs," I replied, a bit grumpy.

Hermione was putting barrettes in her hair. She didn't respond. We'd make up later though, so I didn't mind it too much.

Harry was waiting in the common room, staring at the fire with a serious look on his face. I froze for a moment, not wanting to interrupt him when his eyes were so fiery, but he glanced at me and his look relaxed.

"Oh. Good evening, Ginny. You look nice."

"Thanks," I replied. "You too." Harry did look nice in his dress robes, but I broached another subject. "What's wrong? You seem a bit out of it."

"Oh, I don't know," he sighed. "I just… have this horrible feeling."

"Oh, don't say that!" I whined. "That always means-"

"Something bad's gonna happen. Yeah, I know. Sorry, Ginny."

"No worries," I replied, optimistic. "Well, I best be heading towards the Great Hall. By the way, Harry, who are you taking to the Yule Ball?"

"Oh," he smiled somewhat brightly. "I was asked by Hannah Abbott actually."

"Really? Hannah?"

He nodded. "She stammered quite a bit, but she asked me. I was happy to oblige. Though I keep getting awfully hateful looks from Ernie."

I laughed. "Perhaps Ernie will find someone too."

"I'm sure he will. Though he might try to steal your girl."

Harry grinned boyishly. "Perhaps, but there's plenty of girls at the ball. Go have fun."

I was so glad he understood me. I nodded and headed out of the portrait hole.

(Draco Malfoy)

_Damn it. I hate crowds._

The foyer was bustling with dressed up, happy students, all holding hands and chatting and giggling. It was almost annoying. I elbowed my way through the couples, not really caring whether they protested or not, and managed to make my way to the stairs. The Great Hall had just opened and people were starting to go inside. I checked my watch. Eight o' clock.

"Looking for someone?"

I glanced up and Ginny slid down the stair rail and landed gracefully on her feet. I stared at her. _Well, that was an interesting entrance._ She was obviously not a normal girl, but she looked pretty. I really liked the way she looked in yellow.

"Shall we?" She offered her arm and we hooked elbows. It was awkward really, but she seemed perfectly fine. A confident woman.

We stepped into the Great Hall and I gazed at the room. It was quite lovely, really, with the floating candles giving a beautiful golden glow to the room and tapestries hanging from the ceiling. Ginny tucked a loose curl behind her ear.

"Pretty," she stated, a bit awed. She reminded me of a child.

"Yeah," I said.

Of course, the peace didn't remain. Music suddenly jumped forward, a loud jumping beat, blasting into our eardrums at a fast pace. Ginny's faced brightened.

"_I love this song!_" she yelled. "Come on!"

And so we were dancing, as teenagers tend to do when there's music. I was caught up in the excitement. Ginny wasn't doing much talking, but she moved well, much better than me at least. I spun her around, a bit of ballroom dancing training kicking in (blame my mother), and did a sort of swing dance with her, then we moved toward the edge for some butterbeer and pumpkin juice.

"You don't think they put Firewhiskey in it, do you?" Ginny asked, taking a drink of her butterbeer. It was hard to hear her with the noise.

"I doubt it," I yelled back, and my throat was already getting sore. "This… This music's too loud! Want to go outside?"

"Sure!"

We retreated out onto a balcony and closed the doors, shutting out the noise.

"Bloody loud," I said, playfully scathing.

She grinned at me. "Great stuff though. I love music."

She leaned against the railing and stared at the stars. The moonlight softened her features, making her look a little more girly. Ginny always caught me as a bit boyish, but that night, she was positively lovely. The best part was, no matter what she was wearing, be it a dress or a Quidditch uniform, she emanated an attitude of which she could punch a bloke for even looking at her the wrong way. Quite interesting, really.

"You can go back inside if you want. I can't stand a racket that goes on too long." I blew a stray hair out of my eye and she reached up and brushed it away, smiling.

"It's fine. I'll stay out here. I wouldn't want you to be alone. I don't like a lot of noise either."

I felt a smile tugging at my lips. "So why did you decide to come to the Yule Ball with me?"

"Why'd you ask me?" Her eyes twinkled mischievously, reminding me of her brothers, Fred and George.

"I asked you first."

"Yes, I know," she replied cunningly. "I didn't have the chance to ask you here."

"That's not what I meant-"

"Go on now. Tell me." She was severely amused.

I sighed. "You're very impertinent. Fine. I guess you were just… the only one that understood what I was going through. You didn't ask me any questions. You accepted me. You offered me so much. It was just… the only thing I could think of to repay you." I watched her for a minute at she turned back to the stars, chocolate eyes shining. "It makes me wonder… what do you want to _do_ with your life, Ginny? Do you want to be a Healer… or… and Auror… or…"

"Actually," she said softly, probably the softest voice I'd ever heard from her, "I always… wanted to be… a mother."

The sentence sent chills down my spine. There was so much love in that statement; it was so sweet.

"You probably think I'm crazy, but… I want to take care of people. I want to chase children around the house. I want to cook and clean and rock babies to sleep. It's such a fulfilling job. I watched my mother one day… Ron had gotten hurt. He'd fallen down and scraped his knee, and she just cooed and held him so he'd stop crying. There was something so amazing in that. I guess that's when I decided that that was my main goal. To mother a child."

"How old were you?" I was practically entranced.

She giggled then. "Four."

We laughed for a moment and I moved up beside her. "Beautiful stars…"

"What do you want to do when you're older, Draco?"

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. That was the first time she'd ever spoken my _first_ name. It was strange and foreign to hear. I was so used to _Malfoy_ all the time.

"Oh, I don't know," I sighed. "I was just hoping to live past twenty."

"That's a negative look," Ginny replied.

"I know. It's just the way things are. My father's trying to force me to be a Death Eater. I don't blame him or anything. After all, the Dark Lord would kill him if he knew I was running around with Dumbledore's Army with his secrets up my sleeve. I don't really know a lot though. Anyway, if I had to choose a job… I'd say… hmm… I never really thought about it. Perhaps a teacher?"

"A teacher?" She looked surprised.

I nodded. "I think I could be a great professor. Mother always said I had a knack for explaining things. I'm pretty good with my words, I suppose."

"You are very eloquent," Ginny agreed.

"I think you'd be a great mother too, Ginny," I said. "You're so caring. You take care of people now. You're going to be amazing."

"You are too," she said softly, laying her hand on top of mine.

I wouldn't say I fell in love with her, or anything juvenile such as that, but in that moment, I had such admiration for her that I was amazed at myself. She really _was_ amazing. I severely doubt she loved me either. I think she personally loved my problems. She wanted to fix me. It didn't matter, really. I wanted to be fixed. I don't thinks he could have done it though. It was a journey I had to make on my own. Still, that night, she was more beautiful to me than any woman I'd ever seen before.

I only kissed her once.

(Harry Potter)

The dance had been slowing down for awhile. I'd let Hannah Abbott dance with Ernie, trying to get across "no hard feelings." I don't think he paid any attention to that fact. I didn't have much time for a girlfriend anyway. I had cut in on Ron and Hermione and asked her to dance, just as friends. Ron obliged, rubbing a stitch in his side. Hermione was always a surprisingly good dance. Ron never really had a knack for it. So she was waltzing, and I was attempting to waltz, and we talked.

"I suppose I should apologize to Ginny. We got in an argument earlier."

"Really? About what?"

"Well, to be honest…" Hermione glanced over her shoulder to see Ron slurping lazily on punch. "Draco Malfoy."

"Now, how did I know that?"

She gave me a sharp look which I ignored.

"I just don't know, Harry. But… I guess I'm being judgmental."

"You are," I said, "But he is a bit of a prat sometimes."

I gazed over Hermione's shoulder as Ginny and Draco made their way back in. Ginny seemed a bit giddy, but normal, and Draco hadn't changed really, though there was something mischievous dancing in his eyes. The two took to the dance floor again, this time, a _little_ bit closer. _Hmm…_I would have thought about it more, but I felt a chill hit my spine suddenly. I stopped dancing.

"What is it, Harry?"

"B-bad feeling," I said, shaking my head. "That's all."

"What-" Hermione started, but the crowd suddenly shifted and I froze.

Draco yelled out, wrapping his arms around himself and falling to the floor. Ginny's face grew fearful and pale.

"Draco, what's wrong?!"

We rushed over, and I could feel a frostiness rising in the room. He gripped himself tightly, looking quite sick. He lifted his head and looked me right in the eyes.

"Something… someone…" he croaked.

I whirled to Pansy Parkinson who was standing with Draco's old Slytherin posse. "_**What did you do**_?!"

Though she actually looked scared. "I… I didn't… I don't…"

The doors suddenly blasted open and the whole room scattered. People close to the door were dropping like flies. I could hear McGonagall's voice.

"How did they get in? There's no way!"

"Harry…" Cho whispered. "It's… Death Eaters…"

_**End Chapter Twelve**_

(Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Personally, I enjoy the way this chapter turned out. Hope you liked it!)


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter Thirteen**_

_All alone  
Leave me here, I'm dying  
All alone  
Just kicked me in my face  
All alone  
All alone and crying  
All alone  
I suffocate  
-Staind**  
**_

(Harry Potter)

"The guard's been much too high," Hermione yelped, dodging a blast. "There's no way they could have gotten in without knowing a secret way in!"

"I know that," I growled, whipping my wand out of my robes and pointing it at the nearest Death Eater. "_Expelliarmus!_"

His wand went flying and a knelt down next to Draco. His color had drained from his face, but he was breathing a little more normally. Ginny was gripping him as if he'd slipped from the planet.

"Are you alright?" I asked quickly.

He nodded shakily. "Y-yes. Th-there's something… different about this."

"_Harry!_"

I looked up. Dementors were swarming the room.

"Fuck," Draco hissed, standing up, much to Ginny's protests.

He yanked his wand out of his robes and we took off across the room. I couldn't help but question him about it. His father was more than likely with them.

"Draco, what are you doing? Your father-"

"Forget it!" he yelled. "They're attacking innocent people. Dumbledore's Army's been way to accepting of me for me to let them down now. _EXPECTO PATRONUM!_"

A group of Dementors disintegrated out of our path. Draco whirled and shot a Death Eater down that was chasing us. It turned out be Crabbe Sr.

"That felt pretty good actually," he said, smirking.

Teachers were starting to fight too, and Snape had vanished from sight. Draco halted in his run and turned to me, eyes a wild frenzy of emotions.

"What?" I asked.

"Who's leading them?"

"What? How would I know? Don't you?"

"No. He walks differently. He has a completely different aura than anyone I've met. I don't know who it is."

Ginny screamed out suddenly and we both turned as Lucius grabbed her by the hair. His robe had fallen from his head and she had elbowed his mask off his face. Draco's eyes went wide. A choice had suddenly hit him. Lucius pointed his wand to Ginny's head.

"This is what you get little girl for ruining me-"

"_Expelliarmus!_" Draco screamed out before Ron had the chance to. Lucius' wand went flying.

He looked up, infuriated, for the person who had attacked. His eyes fell on his son. For a moment, time stopped.

"D-Draco?" his voice came out in a low whisper.

Ginny slammed her elbow into his ribs and bolted across the room. Draco's eyes grew sad, seeing his father there. In fact, he almost looked ashamed of himself.

"Father… I'm…" He shook his head and turned away.

(Draco Malfoy)

I knew my father was watching me as I took down his own teammates, letting them fall to the ground in heaps of pain. I was shooting off random curses, most of them amateurish but capable of a violent aftereffect. I could feel his eyes on me as I took a stance, back-to-back with Potter, Death Eaters and Dementors and that one, gangly-looking creature in the robe that I did not know. I could feel my heart beating in my throat. _Father… I'm sorry… This is my choice…_

I don't know why it was so hard to say at the time.

Still, even as I fought, I couldn't sweat. I couldn't feel heat in my face from running and shooting spells. I felt as cold as an ice cube. I couldn't understand it. I felt like I was dead, or at least close to it. It was the most horrible feeling I had ever felt, like being in the presence of pure evil. I finally gathered the nerve to look at my father.

He didn't look angry. His eyes were full of turmoil. Sadness, fear, humiliation, even. But mostly fear. I wasn't sure if it was for himself or for me. I had never really been sure if my father cared about me anymore. He had once, but I wasn't so sure at that point. I gripped my wand so tightly that my knuckles were white. Then, the cloaked man that I didn't know leaned to my father and whispered something. The color drained from his face, but he gulped and nodded.

_No,_ I thought. _He wants my father to kill me, doesn't he? Oh, father…_

The Death Eaters around Potter and myself were closing in. I shut my eyes tight. _I can't… do this…_

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_"

I opened my eyes as we shot into the air. Alarmed, I looked to Harry. He looked about as puzzled and frightened as I did. Then, from above the crowd, we saw Hermione standing on one of the tables, cerulean dress flowing in the airs of battle, hair falling in disarray. Ron was keeping guard around her, with the help of Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. Ginny had rushed to the doors and begun shooing younger, less experienced students out, sending them to their common rooms. Blasts were whizzing past my ears and I fumbled in the air, just barely getting out of the way. _I'd be better if I was on a broomstick…_

The spell broke and we nearly fell. Luckily, we met the ground slow enough to land on our feet. I turned to Harry. "We've got to get them out of the castle at least. We'll have a better advantage outside."

Harry didn't agree or disagree. We just ran towards the door. Death Eaters were following us, so closely that I could feel their body heat on the back of my neck. _They're going to catch us. There's no way we can outrun them._ But Harry and I had had quite a bit of Quidditch training, and our legs picked up speed. We swung left and bolted up two or three or four flights of stairs. My memory's hazy on that. I still wasn't sweating.

Bringing up the rear were teachers, Dumbledore, and his Army. Harry's right hand began grazing the wall, fatigue taking over. I grabbed his wrist. "Come on, Potter! Keep going!"

We were coming up on the Room of Requirement.

"_**Harry, think of something**_!"

He looked fearful then yanked open the door. We slammed it behind us.

"Merlin… Malfoy. How… can you run… like that… and not get tired?"

"I don't know," I said, halting. "Are we on the roof?"

"It… was… the only thing… I could think of…"

"Good enough. The night's cold. You'll cool off," I said, pulling off the jacket of my dress robes and tossing it aside. Harry did the same and rolled up his sleeves to his elbows. Curses were being shot our way not long after that. They had run outside and begun to attack again.

"Merlin, what do they want?" I choked, looking down at them.

"Apparently you or me," Harry replied bitterly. "Or both of us. Does it matter?"

"No, not really."

"Got a plan?" Harry breathed, and I could see steam coming from his words.

There was no steam from my lungs. "Yeah… but you're not going to like it."

Harry groaned. "We're gonna jump aren't we?"

"You know a good summoning spell?"

"Yes," Harry murmured.

"Summon two broomsticks when we jump. You trust me right?"

"Yes."

I looked to him and he was smiling softly. It made my heart fill with pride for some reason. Had I really given off any reason to be trustworthy? He looked at me and we smirked at each other.

"You know, Malfoy… if this was any other circumstance, I'd say this would be bloody fun."

I wanted to laugh, but I was too worried so I just nodded. With that, we jumped. The ground was coming to meet us fast. I squinted my eyes shut, hearing Harry yell out _Accio broomsticks!_ And suddenly, we were floating again. I gunned my broomstick with only the speed a Seeker would have and we took long drives around the grounds, trying to find a good place to attack.

"That one… that you don't know. He's leading them. Attack him," Harry said.

I nodded, balancing myself on my broom. "_Diffindo!_"

I wanted to know who it was. I wasn't really sure why that was my number one priority, but something told me that this person I had not met was the reason I felt so strange.

And it turned out, we had met before.

The hood of his robe was suddenly sliced from around his neck and his mask was cracked in half. I dived for him, wand ready, but he caught my broomstick and flung me to the ground. I landed on my back and I was in such shock they I couldn't breathe.

Salazar Slytherin stood above me.

A scowl moved across his face. "Ah, I see. So, _you're_ the boy that held my soul for so long."

"Wh-what?" I choked out, just staring at the upside down face of Slytherin.

Salazar reached down and yanked me up by my shirt collar. I had difficulty looking into those dead, menacing eyes, and his smell was putrid. He smelled of graveyard soil and decay. I felt sick just by the smell of him, and it was mixing with the fear in my gut. He smiled with yellow teeth and I shuddered.

"Do you fear me, boy?"

"N-no," I said, trying to keep my dignity. "I don't."

"Good," he said with a touch of amusement. "I wouldn't want you to. It's always more fun with the brave ones."

I wanted to shove my knee in his stomach or something, but I couldn't even move. Something about him paralyzed me._ I don't understand… how could he…_

I couldn't finish my thoughts because he promptly shoved me into the castle wall. I felt a couple of my ribs crack. I wasn't sure when his hand had shifted from my shirt to my neck, but I was choking to death within minutes. I looked pleadingly to my father. He was just… _standing_ there! Tears welled in the bottoms of my eyes as I gazed at him. He didn't even shift, just eyed me, pale with wild eyes. Scared.

_You don't think _I'm_ scared, too, Father?!_ I thought angrily. _I want to do something about it! I don't want to live in fear forever…_

I knew I was dying. I could feel it slipping from my bones. Then, without warning, Ginny bit Slytherin's arm. Obviously, she didn't have a wand and resorted to other methods. He yelped, dropping me and slapping her across the face. I took the time to get my wand aimed at him.

"_Stupefy!_"

It shot him right in the forehead. He stumbled backwards into a crowd of Death Eaters. I stood and pointed my wand once more.

"_Confringo!_"

I missed. "Dumbledore's Army!" I yelled. "_**Attack**_!"

Spells and charms and hexes began flying through the air, along with a large battle cry from Hogwarts students. Ginny pulled herself to her feet, rubbing her cheek.

"Bloody bastard," she hissed.

I stumbled to my feet, but I felt like I'd been hit with a Jelly-Legs Curse. I seethed, glowering at them as they retreated. _They'll be back. I'm sure of it._

Ginny grabbed my arm. I wasn't sure why. I looked at her hazily, glancing at worried brown eyes. She was saying something, but I couldn't make it out. Then the ground came up to meet me and I was gone.

Darkness.

_**End Chapter Thirteen**_

(Author's Note: It's little shorter than some of the others, but I thought this would be a good place to end. I really liked this chapter, actually. It was full of action and such. I hope it was believable, and the next chapter will have some explanations for questions you might have. Thanks for reading!)


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chapter Fourteen**_

_Stop this train  
I wanna get off and go home again  
I can't take this speed it's moving at  
I know I can't  
But honestly,  
Won't someone stop this train  
-John Mayer  
_

(Draco Malfoy)

My eyes opened slowly. I felt like they'd been held down by concrete or something even heavier than that. I groaned a little, an ache spreading through my head, all the way down into my right shoulder and my back. I tried to move my right arm but it screamed in protest so I let it be. I gazed around the room fuzzily, trying to remember where I was. It was bright and freezing, but it wasn't the Hospital wing.

"You're awake."

I jumped and immediately regretted it. "Ah, damn it, Potter. Put a bell around your neck or something," I moaned, my voice hoarse.

He grinned, entering my field of vision. "We've been taking turns watching you. You've been out for a couple of days. It's not surprising. You were hurt a lot worse than we thought. Your back took some serious healing. Oh, and Ginny accidentally dislocated your shoulder when you passed out."

"Bloody strong girl," I muttered, a bit more amused than angry.

'They said you felt like a corpse when the pulled you in. Your temperature had dropped substantially. When we got you here, though, it spiked and you were sick for a couple of days. No one knows why that happened, but Hermione says it was probably shock."

I brushed some hair out of my eyes with my left hand, not wanting to ask the next question. "What happened after I passed out?"

"Well, we put you in the hospital wing first, but your temperature wouldn't rise, no matter what we did. The school was evacuated not long after that anyway, so the Order of the Phoenix decided that we'd take care of where you'd go. I think Snape referred it to your mother. She wasn't able to come for fear they found out where you were."

"I understand," I said softly. "Go on."

Harry sighed, lacing his fingers. "There were some students killed that night. Ernie went down. Hannah's had a very hard time with it. She won't talk to anyone. Alicia Spinnet did too. And…" He seemed to have difficulty saying it. "Pansy Parkinson died too."

I was overcome with shock. "What? _Pansy?_"

"Yeah," Harry sighed. "She practically lost her mind. She was screaming out at the Death Eaters. She was hysterical. They wanted to shut her up. It was awful."

There was a bit of sadness lingering in my mind, but I couldn't get over the shock. "I never expected…"

"I know," Harry replied gently.

"What else?" I asked, not wanting to think about it anymore. "What else happened?"

"Parents were outraged about everything - well, some of them - and the _Prophet_'s having a hay-day. It's ridiculous. School will be closed for awhile. Dumbledore tried to explain though. The only reason the Death Eaters got in was because of Salazar Slytherin. He was able to get them past the wards no problem, because he _made_ those wards and that school."

The memory of his face came rushing back to me and I felt sick again. "How did he--"

"Hermione looked it up," Harry cut in, knowing exactly what I was going to ask. "It took a lot of work to get it. It was in the Restricted Section."

He set a large, dusty, leather-bound book on the bed and opened it, flipping through the pages. "What we figure happened was… Salazar Slytherin died, and someone placed his soul in an object - we haven't figured out what - and it was saved there for quite sometime. Then Voldemort took hold of it when he was still at school, when he was Tom Riddle, and kept it until you were born."

"Why me?" I asked softly, more to myself than to him.

"We figure Lucius offered you to be Salazar's soul-holder," Harry said, answering me. I didn't want him to answer.

"So he took the soul from whatever it was in and placed it within me? Why didn't he just keep it in the locket?"

"Because the soul had no life within it if it remained in something inanimate. It could take on some of your life if it was within your body, thus could be brought to power when needed. When Voldemort went looking for Salazar's corpse, he activated the soul. That's when you started dreaming."

I sighed. "Bloody hell…"

"Your mother never knew-"

"Of course she didn't, Potter!" I snapped, feeling pain lash at my shoulder and spine. "She never knew because Father never told her anything. He just offered up his family because he was so bloody scared--"

I stopped there because I didn't want to start crying in front of Potter. I lay back against the pillow and closed my eyes.

"Anything else?"

"Well, if you like, you're welcome to stay at the Burrow with us. We think you'd be safer among Order members."

"What the hell is the Order of Phoenix?"

"It's an underground organization made to fight Voldemort. It's kind of like Dumbledore's Army."

"Snape's in it, right?"

"Yeah."

"That's what I thought. I guess I could stay there. There's no way I can go home now…"

I could feel pity emanating from Harry. "…Get some rest."

I dropped off immediately.

…

It had been a few more days before I felt up to getting out of bed and walking around. St. Mungo's discharged me when I started complaining. I was putting on an overly-large green shirt over some baggy gray pants when the door opened.

"Those close are much too big."

"I've lost some weight since I've been here. I can't eat the putrid food, and I was sick a lot of the time I was here. I still have a touch of fever. I can still hardly move around. I'm bloody sore. How are you, Snape?"

"I'm surprised you're not angry with me," he replied.

"No. I understand the reasoning behind your disappearance. It would've destroyed your cover. Did you have any idea that would happen?"

"No, I hadn't heard a word. The Dark Lord's been oddly vague in his messages as of late. I think he's suspicious of me. I'll have to start lurking around him more for awhile. I'll get information to you as soon as possible."

"Mum okay?" I asked, trying to straighten the ridiculously wide collar of my shirt.

"She wasn't very happy, but she's doing better now. She hates not getting to see you at Christmas, but she sent this with me to give to you."

He handed me a small box, wrapped in green paper. _That's right,_ I thought. _Christmas has passed._

"May I?" I asked, looking to him.

"It doesn't matter to me."

I opened the box, then stood there, awed. "Bloody hell…"

"What is it?" Snape asked.

It was a silver pocket watch with _D. M._ engraved onto the front. I pulled it out and held it in the palm of my hand. I opened it to see another inscription. _With Love, Mum_.

"Oh…" I murmured, suddenly overcome with loneliness and sadness.

Snape put a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry you can't see her."

"It's… okay. Just… take care of her okay?"

"I will," he said. "I've got to go now. The Weasleys are waiting for you outside. I honestly never thought I'd say that."

He mused on that for a second then disappeared behind the door. I wiped a tear from my cheek, shook myself a bit, and headed in pursuit, my slippers gliding against the floor. I moved slowly down the hallway, still slow due to an extremely sore back, and moved around the corner where the reception was. There they were, the Weasleys, looking very Weasley-like and cheery. Well, most of them. I sighed, trying to keep track of everyone.

Molly, the mother. Arthur, the father. Fred, George, Ginny, and Ron, of course. Then Harry and Hermione. There were more, I knew, but they weren't among the crowd. Molly approached, looking maternal.

"Oh, look at you. You look like you could spend more time here." Something about her voice warmed me up a bit. Perhaps it was because I was missing my own mother.

"I'll be fine… but thank you, Mrs. Weasley."

"Fred and George and Harry have already gotten your bags. Do you think you can handle the Floo network?"

I nodded slowly. Ginny walked over slowly and offered to help my along. I waved it off, not wanting her to feel guilty about hurting my arm. Mr. Weasley threw the powder into the fireplace, turning it an electric green, and we all piled in together. It was a tight, embarrassing fit. I was pushed up right between Ginny and Hermione. Like I said, embarrassing. Soon, however, we had made it to the Burrow and I stepped out, gazing around the room.

I had never been inside the Weasleys' home before, but the moment I arrived, I felt full of warmth. There was just something that made it cozy, something that made me want to curl up in an armchair and read or write or sleep. I doubted I could do much writing though with the sharp pains in my shoulder still.

"Where'd you get those clothes, Draco? They're bloody huge," Ginny said, grinning.

"I've had them. I usually wear them when I don't feel like moving a lot," I replied honestly. "My Mum gave me some big clothes after I had a Quidditch accident and she said bigger clothes would make it easier to make it around the house."

Ginny's grin turned into a delicate smile. "I guess it makes you think of her, hm?"

I shifted, uncomfortable. "You all fit in here?"

"It's tight, but we fit," Ginny laughed. "It brings us together. You'd be surprised how many people we can fit in this little place."

"Your room's up here," Harry said, following Ron up the stairs.

"Oh… okay…" I said, feeling awkward. I realized how many Gryffindors surrounded me.

It took me a bit longer to get up the stairs than the others, but I made it on my own. I got to stay in Percy Weasley's old room. Harry and Ron were going to stay in the attic bedroom. Hermione would stay with Ginny. _I'm by myself,_ I mused. I wasn't happy or unhappy about it. Mrs. Weasley had just finished dusting the room, and she looked quite depressed as she straightened the comforter on the bed. She hadn't seen me. I cleared my throat.

"Oh, oh dear. Did you find your way alright?" She jumped suddenly, trying to smile, but her eyes were still sad.

"Yes. It's fine." _You should see my house. You can get lost in there much more easily._ "Thank you for taking me in on such short notice."

"Oh, dear, it's no problem at all!" she said, chuckling, looking merry again and reminding me of Ginny.

She began to shuffle past me and I turned. "Um… Mrs. Weasley?"

She turned. "Yes?"

"You really don't mind me being here?" I couldn't understand how trusting she was.

"Don't worry, dearie. Harry filled us in and the Order met about it. We offered. There's always plenty of room here. Dinner will be in a couple of hours."

I watched her go, feeling lonely, then moved into a room that was not mine to begin unpacking my bags.

…

I was lying on Percy Weasley's bed, staring at the ceiling. My clothes had been unpacked and put away, but I kept one, small, brown leather bag packed with a few things, just in case I decided to run. My thoughts were lingering on Slytherin, that gruesome, corpse-like face, smirking at me in such superiority, and the fear I felt, deep down inside my stomach, churning and tightening my gut. I was still running a very low-grade fever that made sweat beads pop on my forehead, but it wasn't bothering me much.

What stuck out most in my mind, however, was my father. His face, pale and silent, watching me as I struggled with life. I rubbed my neck absent-mindedly, brushing against the large bruise Slytherin's hand had made. I gulped. _I can't believe what happened… and Hogwarts…_It hurt to think that Hogwarts had been evacuated. It had always radiated safety, and I had done a lot there within the past months. I was almost sad to know that it was empty, and I was also intrigued. _What will Salazar Slytherin do if he gets inside Hogwarts?_

I shook my head, deciding to think more on it later. Mrs. Weasley was calling the family down for dinner. Fred and George had already left for the flat above their shop, but had managed to get one of their Basic Blaze Boxes inside my suitcase (scared me quite a bit when fireworks went off in my room) when they had brought them to my room. I would have been angry, but when Mrs. Weasley grew furious at the twins' antics, I couldn't help but be impressed by their handiwork. I _was_ a prankster myself, of course.

I lumbered down the stairs, which were only two flights for me, rather than five for Ron and Harry, and I made it to the table right after Hermione and Ginny. I sat across from them. Molly had dishes floating all around the kitchen, cooking and cleaning themselves. It was probably one of the most wonderful smells my nose had ever come in contact with. It wasn't like Malfoy Manor at all, but it was no better, no worse. I had just never had home-cooked food before, not by a mother, just by house elves. Mother would make soup or hot chocolate now and then, but never a full meal.

"'Ay, Mum, what's for dinner?" Ron asked, slouching up to the table and sitting across from me. Harry took a spot next to him, looking deep in thought.

"Oh! Mince pie, chicken and ham pie, boiled potatoes, and some homemade fudge for desert!" she chirruped as the plates floated over to the table and landed in front of us. "You don't mind that, do you, dear?"

I didn't realize she was talking to me right away, but I shook my head. "N-no, ma'am. Of course not. It looks quite good."

Merlin, it was awkward. Everyone else felt so at home there, I could see it, but I felt alienated and lost. I wasn't sure what to do. I sighed, then took a bite. It was incredible - there's no other word to describe it. I think I ate more than my fill that night. It had been so long since I had eaten anything substantial and I felt empty. Soon enough I was so full I was afraid I'd vomit if I had one more bit of fudge, so I refused her third offer of it.

Ginny began collecting dishes and moved off into the kitchen. She seemed a bit irritated with me, but I wasn't surprised. I wasn't exactly being welcoming, and with her mother around to do all the mothering, she didn't really have to. I excused myself from the table (and got funny looks, which I wasn't sure as to why), and headed up the stairs.

"You know, Malfoy," Ron's voice caught my ear as he followed up behind, "You don't have to be all polite and the like. It's a bit weird."

I turned. "That's how I leave the table at my house."

"Well, unlike you, we don't live in a huge castle," Ron replied, sounding slightly bitter. "We're a bit more tight-nit, so don't go crazy with the manners. You'll fit in better without them."

He headed up another flight. I followed, amused.

"Is the famous, bad language, Potter's sidekick, Ronald Weasley actually being nice to me?"

"Don't get used to it or anything."

I continued to follow, much to his protests. "Let's see this room of yours."

"Oh, bugger off, Malfoy," Ron groaned, obviously regretting his previous statement.

I smirked at him, having fun. "What? Afraid of what I'll see? Dirty magazines or what?"

"Wouldn't think someone like _you_ would be interested even if they _were_ there."

"So?" I muttered, annoyed.

He grinned. "You like the Chudley Cannons?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"My rooms full of 'em. Enter if you will."

We made it to the fifth floor and opened the door with _Ronald_ on the front.

_**End Chapter Fourteen**_

(Author's Note: Another fast chapter, and a much better filler than last time, I must say. I don't have much to say right now, but I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading!)


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter Fifteen**_

_Cause we are broken  
What must we do to restore  
Our innocence  
And all the promise we adored?  
Give us life again  
Cause we just wanna be whole  
-Paramore_

(Ron Weasley)

There was a Malfoy. In my room. And he wasn't killing me in my sleep!

I was having a bit of trouble dealing with that. I watched him closely as he stepped around my room, looking at the posters, and the bedspread and the window and the-

"Will you quit it?!" I yelped suddenly.

He turned and looked at me. "What?"

"It's just weird… having you around… all quiet… and… junk."

Malfoy shook his head, leaning against the window pane. "I have nothing to apologize for, if that's what you're looking for."

I was surprised. "What?"

Malfoy scowled slightly, but his eyes looked more hurt than anything. "I know you don't want me here. I honestly don't want to be here either. Your family is welcoming, but it's not my home. I'm trying to be as polite and quiet as possible so I can stay out of your way. I'm trying to be friendly. It's difficult."

I blinked a couple of times. "I wasn't-"

"-You think it's weird for _you_!" he interrupted, growing angry. "I'm in a completely new place with people I hardly know that most likely don't like me, and I don't--" He sighed. "You know what? Forget it. It doesn't matter."

I actually felt bad for yelling at him, even if he was a little high strung. I hadn't realized how difficult the change was for Malfoy. He'd been through a lot in the past few weeks. I guess I figured he'd be able to deal because I'd been dealing with it for years and years. Neither of us were accepting of each other in the same house, but we needed to get over it. I ran a hand through my hair, feeling a headache coming on.

"You're really taking it that hard?"

He looked embarrassed and pained. "… Yes, I am."

"I thought your dad was a total dung for brains. I would think you'd like to get away from there."

"My father's never home," he replied softly, not looking at me, preferring the window.

"Oh… I'm sor--"

The door slammed open suddenly and Harry was standing in the doorway, eyes wide and wild, much like they had been the night the Death Eaters had attacked.

"What's wrong?" Draco demanded suddenly, looking worried. "What happened?"

I could see fear plaguing my best friend's face and my heart began to pound in my chest. Something had happened.

"Look. Here. At the _Prophet_," Harry commanded, rushing over to my desk and laying the paper out upon it.

"What in bloody hell is the problem?" I asked, stepping over to where all three of us could see.

Then I saw it, the headline, large and dark with ink, crawling with words I never wanted to see:

_**HOGWARTS: TAKEN OVER**_

(Draco Malfoy)

"No…" I whispered, staring at the words. "It was-"

"Salazar Slytherin," Harry replied.

"Is Dumbledore alright?" Ron asked suddenly, so pale that every freckle stood out on his face.

Harry looked as if he were holding back tears, staring at the paper, not looking once at either of us. "Don't know…"

"What do you mean you don't know-" I started.

"He… disappeared…. No one knows where he is." He was stony faced, but his eyes told the story.

For the first time, I felt pity for Harry Potter, and I folded up the paper. "Forget this nonsense, Potter. He's Albus Dumbledore. He's far stronger than you're giving him credit for… and don't believe everything you read."

Harry seemed quite downtrodden, but he nodded slowly. "Salazar's made Hogwarts his base. I don't know what he's up to, but he must know every secret of Hogwarts. There's not telling what kind of power he could have--"

I crossed my arms, leaning against the desk. "It is bothersome."

"Should be for you," Ron added. "He's after you."

"So," I said, shrugging. "The Dark Lord brought him back, and _he's_ after _Harry_. We're all in danger."

"We'll probably have to move to Grimmauld place before it's all over with," Harry added, sitting on Ron's bed, looking stressed.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Order's base," Harry answered shortly.

"Is there anything else?" I asked.

"The _Prophet_ doesn't mention Slytherin - I kind of just… assumed - but Voldemort is more than likely with him. Most of their sources are unreliable."

"Do Ginny and 'Mione know about this?" Ron asked.

"Yeah," Harry replied, "Ginny read it in the paper first."

"Question is…" I muttered, "Why would Slytherin allow the _Daily Prophet_ to know that he took over Hogwarts? Why is he letting it be known so well?"

"Easy," Harry said, looking grave, "He wants us to come to him."

(Narcissa Malfoy)

I was pacing about the room, feeling my heart slamming against my ribs. Severus sat on my bed, watching.

"Oh, Severus," I spoke quickly and loudly. "I'm losing my mind. My son is in the custody of the Order, on the run from Voldemort, Hogwarts has been taken over, Lucius is still missing, dear _Merlin_, Severus! I don't know what to do!"

Tears began rolling absently down my cheeks. I brushed them away without a thought. I was getting used to them. He stood up then and caught me by the shoulders.

"Now, now, Narcissa. You need to calm down. It's not helping you to over-think the situation. You're only hurting yourself."

I looked up into his charcoal eyes, sniffling. "It's hard, Severus. It's so hard. I don't know if I can take this much longer."

He pulled me close. I relished in the warmth it gave me, burying my face in his chest. "It will be alright. I promise."

"Merlin, Severus, what would I do without you?"

"Oh, come, Cissa. I haven't _always_ been around."

"When I needed you, you have." I leaned up and kissed him softly. "You cannot deny that."

He seemed a bit uncomfortable, but accepted it. I knew he was feeling bad about what had been going on, and I knew I should have, but at the time, I needed someone like him, and he was there. I pulled away and lay down on my bed, feeling a bit woozy.

"You alright?" Snape asked, looking alarmed.

"I think so," I said softly. "I'm stressed out, Severus. And… and this damn corset is much too tight!"

He smiled, amused. "You've always been so determined to break your ribs in those things."

I tossed a pillow at him. He caught it. I smirked at him.

"You know I always thought your son got that from his father. I suppose I was wrong in that assumption."

I pulled him down next to me by his robes and he gave a surprised laugh at the audacity of it. I grinned at him through a curtain of hair, then kissed him again.

(Draco Malfoy)

The rain was picking up outside, thunder booming across the sky. I shivered and yanked the comforter up to my ears. I was paranoid. I kept feeling like Salazar Slytherin was there, in the room, staring at me with the wild, green eyes he had that looked like two sharp emeralds, ready to draw blood till one could die painfully and slow. Lightning cracked, lighting up the room in a frightening fluorescent glow, then died again into darkness. I felt so alone at the moment, lying in a house that wasn't mine, without my mother only a call away. I _was_ alone. I closed my eyes, trying not to think about it.

Thunder suddenly exploded through the room, rattling the windows. Then a crash accompanied it. Glass shattered and flew everywhere, filled with terrorizing winds and stray sticks from the branch that had crashed through. I screamed out, kicking my feet out from under the covers and rushing over to fix it with my wand. My feet were getting cut just from running over the glass. _Where is my _wand

I located it as lighting fractured the dark, midnight sky, yanking it from my bedside table and pointing it to the glass shards upon the floor.

"_Repar-_" My wand slipped from my hand and rolled under the bed. I was getting coated with sleet.

"Damn it!" I yelled.

The door to my room swung open when I dropped to the floor to grab it.

"_REPARO!_"

The glass formed into the window frame, the wind died against the glass, and all was quiet again. I took to nursing my poor feet, as a jet of white light lit up the room, not long after a muttering of _Lumos_.

"Merlin," Harry said, pointing his wand at me. I squinted my eyes as they bruend from the light.

"How about turning that bloody light off? There _are_ lamps in here you know."

"Right. Sorry. _Nox._" The light promptly went out and Harry turned on a lamp on the table. "Merlin, Malfoy! You're feet!"

I was bleeding all over the floor.

"I just can't stay healthy," I sighed, almost amused at the whole thing.

"Here," Harry said, kneeling. He swiftly healed the wounds.

I leaned against the side of my bed, not really caring.

"You alright?" Harry asked after a moment or two.

"Why do you keep helping me, Potter? Running to the rescue and what? Every time something bad is happening to me or is about to happen to me, there you are. You fancy me or something?" I actually didn't put it meanly.

He glared a bit. "Of course not. You _are_ helping me though, so why not help you? Besides, I wasn't asleep so I heard you yell out."

"You weren't asleep?"

"I'm paranoid. I'm worried we'll be attacked."

_Me too._ "Really now? Scared, are we, Potter?"

"Don't start."

I laughed a bit, then listened to it die against the walls. There was a moment of silence.

"Hey… Potter?"

"Yeah, Malfoy?"

"I'm…" I gulped, finding it quite difficult to say. "I'm sorry…"

"Sorry? For what?"

I wanted to punch him. "You know what! Everything! Prat."

He laughed then. "You're the prat, prat. I bet you couldn't sleep either."

I hugged my knees, looking out at the stormy weather. "You're right there, Potter. I couldn't. I know exactly how you feel right now. It's not exactly helping that I don't know how my mother is right now either."

"You must really care about her."

"Of course I do!" I exclaimed. "She's my mother!" Another moment of silence passed. "I guess… I never really thought about yours. Must be lonely, being all by yourself."

"Not really. I hardly ever knew my parents. I miss them from time to time, but the Weasleys treat me well enough like family, and Hogwarts is my salvation. I was going to live with Siri-- er, my godfather, at one time, but he passed away soon after. So I stay with my aunt and uncle and cousin. They're dreadful people."

"Some are," I replied, trying to stay vague.

"So…" Harry said after yet another pause.

"So… what?"

"Are we… you know… friends now?"

"Oh… yeah… that…" I said softly, remembering my lash to him that seemed like such a short time ago. "Yeah, I guess."

"This is… weird," Harry said, laughing to himself.

"It is," I agreed, "But we can't really help each other and continue to be enemies, right? We've… got a lot ahead of us."

He nodded wearily, but his eyes seemed confident and strong.

"We'll do fine."

_**End Chapter Fifteen**_

(Author's Note: Another filler. But it had to be done. I don't really like this one except for the end. I've got to keep working and get this thing done by the end of the week so expect quite a few updates from here till then. Thanks for reading!)


	16. Chapter 16

_**Chapter Sixteen**_

My train is off the track  
It seems delirious from my loss of sleep-  
Deprived, I grieve the day  
Won't be easy to do  
Are you this restless too?  
-Aly and AJ

(Draco Malfoy)

I picked at my breakfast, not really hungry after a long night of zero sleep. Mrs. Weasley, I began to notice, seemed able to read people by how they eat.

"Are you alright, dear?" she asked in a motherly tone.

"Tired," I replied, not looking up from my plate.

"You sure you're not running fever?"

"Positive. It broke this morning. I just didn't get a good night of sleep is all. I'll be fine."

"That storm was quite bad," Ginny piped in, trying to change the subject.

"I'll say," Ron added. "Bloody loud. Woke Harry up. Right Harry?"

"You'd sleep through the Apocalypse, Ron," Harry replied. "But yeah."

Arthur folded his napkin. "I want you kids to get ready to go to Grimmauld Place, alright?"

I glanced up. "What?"

"With the recent attacks, we'd be safer there. We were already planning to move there anyway."

My head began to ache a bit. I pressed my palms against my temples. Perhaps I_was_ still running fever.

"Dearie? Are you alright?" Mrs. Weasley crossed around the table and put a shot-fingered hand against my cheek.

"I'm fine. I'm fine," I assured, moving away from her.

"Oh, Arthur. All this moving about must be taking a toll on his nerves," she said, eyebrows arched in a worried fashion.

One thing I did not like about Molly Weasley was her ability to talk about someone like they were not in the room. I grumbled something around the lines of _her_ taking a toll on my nerves and excused myself from the table to go pack.

I washed my face with cold water in the bathroom and leaned against the sink. Thoughts were beginning to stir in my mind. Ideas were playing about in my head like a production, but deep down, I knew that many of them were pointless unless perfectly executed. _I've got to do something though. He'll take over everything if I don't._

My thoughts lingered on my father for a moment, that look he held when he saw me. It brought a stinging feeling of shame to my eyes. I knew my choice was right. I knew why I made the choice. Still, I had gone against my father. I had never gone against my father. I sighed. There was no point in letting it bother me. That didn't stop it from bothering me though. He was afraid, that I was sure of, but I knew, no matter how much I denied it, he was ashamed of me too. _Do I really shame you? I was following what I believed in. Wasn't that what brought you to this? Do you think I will fail for doing it? Like you? Do you… think you failed?_

I stumbled out of the bathroom and ran a hand through my hair, only to stand completely still. Ginny was sitting on my bed, folding up shirts and placing them in my bag. I couldn't help myself. "What are you doing?"

"You looked a little tired. I thought I'd help you pack. I always keep a bag packed in case we have to get out, you know, so I'm already ready to go."

"Oh, you really don't have to-"

"I don't mind," she interrupted, somewhat rudely, but with good intentions.

I sat down on Percy Weasley's bed and closed my eyes for a short while, listening to her fold and taking in small whiffs of her perfume.

"Grimmauld Place is a little… erm… different than here," she said after awhile.

"Really?"

"Yes. It's… where the Black family used to live."

I blinked. "Number 4 Grimmauld Place?"

Ginny jumped. "Y-yes. How did you-"

I smiled at her tiredly, "My mother grew up there. She's told me stories. Well, I don't know if she lived there, but she certainly spent a lot of time there."

She slid off the bed and moved to the dresser, grabbing some more clothes. I fell back against the mattress, trying to block out my surroundings for a few minutes. All I could see was my father's eyes, dark and confused and hurt all at the same time. I couldn't get it out of my mind.

"You still alive over there?" Ginny asked, grinning. I could hear it in her voice.

"Barely," I replied, somewhat mumbling. I wasn't sure if she could make out what I was trying to say.

"Everything's going to be okay, you know. You'll see."

"You're incredibly optimistic."

"Everything's always okay."

"After a lot of pain and hardship."

Cool fingertips brushed hair out of my face. I didn't respond.

"I see what you mean. I guess you've had it a bit harder than I have though, haven't you?"

"I'm not out for pity. I'm being realistic. Things don't just fall into place. Sacrifices have to be made."

"Yeah, I agree with you," Ginny replied, continuing to brush my hair away, a bit more lovingly. "I'm sorry you have to go through all this."

"Don't be sorry," I said, dozing. "Just… don't stop… doing that…"

I fell asleep.

I woke up probably an hour later. Ron was shaking me.

"'Oy, Malfoy. Rise and shine. It's time to go."

I had apparently been tucked under the comforter and sheets in my nap, but I hadn't been aware of it. I didn't want to get up. I was warm and comfortable. I blinked some sleep out of my eyes, tired.

"C'mon, mate. Can't wait all day."

He sounded a lot like Blaise just then. I realized I hadn't thought of him much in the past while. It brought back a wave of sadness that I couldn't shake. I rolled out of bed and rubbed my eyes. They still hurt, protesting the interruption of much needed rest. Ron handed me my jacket and I pulled it around me, not happy with the less warm substitute. He chuckled.

"Not a morning person, eh?"

"It's not exactly morning," I replied. "I'm exhausted."

"You can sleep some more at Grimmauld Place," he said, moving ahead of me.

"Yeah," I said, my mind starting to pick back up on thoughts. "Sure."

(Harry Potter)

The car ride to Grimmauld Place was not what I would call fun. Arthur, of course, had already gone to work (he was not one to send messages to the bad side by coming in oh-so-conveniently late), and Ginny had taken the passenger seat. Mrs. Weasley, of course, was driving. The rest of us had been shoved into the back seat - Draco being against the left side window, then me, then Hermione, then Ron shoved against the right side, right behind his mother. Draco didn't seem to mind much, a bit lost in a tired little world, staring out the window that his cheek was pressed against. Ginny seemed completely amused. Ron and Hermione were already starting to bicker with the short space between them. It was a long ride.

By the time we parked outside Number 3 and Number 5 Grimmauld Place, I was quite irritated with the couple next to me and had already snapped on them once. Mrs. Weasley had scolded me for my choice of language in said snapping, but Ginny found it funny (not that her mother knew that of course). Draco snorted, amused, and not really caring what Mrs. Weasley thought of him. I gathered she had gotten on his nerves when checking him for fever. I had come to notice that Draco Malfoy did _not_ like to be touched. We all practically toppled out of the car and moved past the wards, Number 4 Grimmauld Place appearing before us. Mrs. Weasley quickly turned the car to invisible mode before anyone saw.

(Draco Malfoy)

"This… is it?" I muttered, stepping into the foyer of the House of Black. "Not exactly the lovely home my mother described."

"It's… taken on some age," Harry said. His foot caught a floor board and he tripped, a yelp escaping his throat.

"No!" The others yelled simultaneously. I stared at them.

Suddenly, a blood curdling scream resounded through the house, booming throughout the house in a high screech. _"BLOODY MUDBLOODS! YOU DO NOT BELONG IN THIS HOUSE!"_

"Damn it," Ron hissed. "Shut it up, Harry!"

Harry yanked a curtain over the screaming portrait. "Shut up you old bat," he growled.

"Wh-what the hell was _that_-" I started, a bit flabbergasted.

"SHHHH!"

"What happened just now?" I corrected in a much lower tone.

"Heh, Mrs. Black. She's crazy." Harry pointed to the portrait, muffled against the curtain.

"I'm sure," I replied. "Most pure bloods are by the time they're dead." That left a bitter taste in my mouth so I dismissed the thought.

I stripped off my jacket and hung it on a hook by the door, moving along the creaking floorboards, trying to gather my surroundings. The house was cold, nothing like the Burrow. It was creaking and old, like a shack - no feeling whatsoever among the walls - nothing but loss and disownment and sadness.

"A lot of fights went on in this house," I said softly, grazing a wall with my fingertips.

"Well, I'd suppose so. The family didn't exactly… get along. Well, some of them anyway."

"Yeah. I always found it strange that I was distantly related to Sirius Black and yet I knew nothing of him. Of course, he was disowned long before I was even thought about."

I began to ascend the stairs, curious, and Harry followed closely behind. I had a feeling Molly had asked him to keep an eye on me. I suppose my eyes were looking awfully weak.

"You'll have to share a room with Ron and me this time," Harry said. "Sorry. I know you probably prefer to be by yourself."

"It doesn't matter-" I froze suddenly, horror-struck. Something had grabbed my leg. "What the fu-"

"Master Black has returned! Oh, Master Black! Kreacher can tell immediately that Master's blood is pure!"

"Oh. That's… Kreacher," Harry said, sounding disgusted and annoyed.

"I'm no Master Black!" I yelled. "I'm Draco Malfoy!"

"M-Malfoy!_Master Malfoy_!"

"Nuisance," I murmured.

"Kreacher, leave him alone," Harry growled.

"Kreacher does not listen to a Muggle lover."

"K-Kreacher," I said, feeling awkward. "Listen to Potter."

"Wh-what? Master Malfoy, surely Master cannot be serious."

"I am. Go do… whatever it is that you do. This house could use some cleaning."

"Yes, Master! Kreacher will do for Master Malfoy!" He scurried off. I had to admit that the power was a bit amusing.

"He's a bit of a pest, eh?" I muttered.

"Kreacher is… different," Harry supplied.

I ran my hand along the wall, feeling so very unfamiliar with everything except the smell. Though it had been many a year since my mother had tread upon Number 4 Grimmauld Place, I could still catch small whiffs of her perfume, etched into my mind so deep I'd never forget the scent. It saddened me.

"This is our room," Harry said suddenly, pushing a creaky door open into a dusty room.

"It's… quaint," I said flatly.

"A little messy. It's been awhile. Mrs. Weasley'll probably have this cleaned up by dinner time."

"Yeah."

Harry fumbled with a comforter of a bed for a moment, trying to go over something in his head. "Are… you alright, Malfoy? You've been acting… strange."

"I'm tired, Potter," I said. " I know things are about to get tough."

"Tough?"

I eyed him dubiously. "Please, Potter. You know damn well what we're going to do. I'm pretty sure you're going crazy, just like me."

He blinked, surprised.

"You know we can't let Salazar get away with this. We've got to go to Hogwarts."

Harry sat down. "Yeah, I know that. I'm not sure how to go about doing that though."

He paused.

"You… have a plan, don't you?"

_**End Chapter Sixteen**_

(Author's Note: This chapter has been the most difficult yet. I've written and rewritten it about five times. I'm still not satisfied, but it's something. Hope you liked it at least.)


	17. Chapter 17

_**Chapter Seventeen**_

_Eager to please,  
Trying to be what they need,  
But I'm so very tired.  
I've stopped trying to find  
Any peace in my mind  
Cause it tangles the wires.  
-A Fine Frenzy_

(Harry Potter)

Draco whirled around so fast that I nearly jumped off the bed. It wasn't the speed in which he turned to me, but the look on his features that surprised me. It was that scathing, pinched look I had seen so many years before.

"Wh-what?"

"I've been thinking," he said, his voice cold and deep. "You know, you don't really deserve to live here, Potter, as run down as this place is. You and your Muggle-loving parents have no right to live in the pure-blooded house of Black."

I wasn't sure what I was hearing, or why he was saying such brutal things. Draco began to stalk toward me, his eyes boring into me, judging me, hoping only to hurt me. I felt a cold rush of anger building in my chest. It'd been a long time since I had felt this way towards the Malfoy boy, and I couldn't seem to stop my hands from shaking.

"Maybe Slytherin has the right idea – purging the land of all you… you… Mudbloods."

"_Stop it!_" I stood up, wrenching my wand from my pocket and pointing it at his chest. "Shut up!"

A long silence carried as I stared Malfoy in the face, angry and confused. Then, the twisted face softened and he shook his head, chuckling.

"_Merlin_, Harry. Are you really that gullible? You don't trust me at all do you!"

I sputtered. "Wh-what? You were… _acting_? Why?"

"It's pretty simple, Potter," Draco sighed. "Salazar wants me, doesn't he? Let's give him what he wants. We can get inside that way."

"I'm not following," I replied rather flatly, still pretty perturbed about moments ago. _Does he really think that?_

"Look, if Salazar wants me to be his heir or whatever, take me in. Let's say I really offended you, really got under your skin. Wouldn't you want this whole thing to end? Be the hero – take me to him. That's when we'll make our attack."

I made a face at him. "Seems a little too easy."

"Are you still angry? I was kidding."

I crossed my arms. "Well, have you been kidding all these years? Come on, Malfoy. A little piece of you believes everything you just said."

Draco rolled his eyes, smacking his hand against his forehead. "You really don't trust me at all, do you! You're the one that extended his hand to me to help me. I sure as hell wouldn't be turning on you now!" He let out a long frustrated sigh. "Okay, look. I have been _programmed_ to believe that pureblood nonsense my _entire life_. Do forgive me if I let it get the best of me before, but I'm doing my very best to move beyond that. Your sensitivity and difficulty is _not_ making it any easier. Now, are we going to do this or not?"

I shoved my hands in my pockets, trying to quell my frustration with him. It'd been awhile since we'd actually fought. Perhaps this was how our relationship was supposed to work.

"You just… went too far… about my parents 'n all." I sighed. "They never did live here either. I don't know if my father even visited this place, really. I don't know much about them. Apparently they were great people though…"

Draco shrugged. "Everyone has flaws, even our parents. You were lucky they died, Potter. They never had a chance to disappoint you or destroy that perfect ideal you've made of them."

"That's sick."

"It's cynical, I know."

"Don't you love your parents, Draco?"

"What? Of course I do? That doesn't mean they haven't dealt me their share of disappointments. I guess I get a little tired of bearing the brunt of their mistakes is all."

"I'd rather have the disappointments," I replied, sitting back down on the bed and hanging my arms limply over my legs. "Then be lonely. You don't really realize what you would be missing."

"I guess not," he said, sitting next to me. "Though I guess I'm being ridiculous. I've been missing my mother since we've left."

"What about your father?"

Draco pursed his lips, deep in thought. "I guess so. I always feel like he's using me… and yet, I only want to make him proud. I guess I miss him, but I'm afraid to see him again…. I don't want to hurt him, y'know?"

"He's your father. He'll be proud of you, no matter what."

"Maybe if this world was different."

Another long silence rang out.

"I'm… sorry about what I said," Draco said with finality and honesty.

"It's okay. I understand what you were trying to do, I think. But… don't be so brash. I don't find things like that funny."

He nodded. "So what do you think of the plan?"

"It's an idea. We need to do some tweaking I think. And we also have to get out of this place without getting caught."

"It can be done. I'm pretty sure you've done it before."

"We can take the Floo network if we have to, but we'll pretty much be announcing our arrival."

"Good. Let's do that."

I looked at him. He smirked.

"If you come waltzing in with confidence, he'll believe our lie."

"There's one issue here. I'm pretty sure he wants me dead."

"Well, that's your problem then, isn't it?" Draco snickered.

I glared at him. I didn't find _that_ very funny either. Maybe I was being too sensitive, but it _was_ my life we were talking about. Draco shook his head.

"Alright, alright. Don't get your knickers in a twist. If I have to, I'll go by myself. You can sneak in afterwards. I'll let you in."

"That's dangerous!"

"Please, Potter, when have you ever done something that _wasn't_ horrendously dangerous?"

He had a point. I still didn't like it, but I wasn't sure what else to do.

"Let's talk to the others," I sighed, giving in.

(Severus Snape)

She was beautiful. That's what I had always been told, ever since our friendship had begun. _She's beautiful, Severus. Don't let her get away like the other one did._ I did, technically, though. And yet… there I was, laying there next to her, very much with this beautiful woman – this beautiful, _married_ woman. _I've made a horrible mistake…_

She was sleeping soundly, her porcelain skin practically glowing in the darkness of the room, her hair out of place and her makeup smudged. And yet, she looked so clearly human in that moment that it almost caught me off guard. She'd always been made up as some china doll, that human had never been the first word to come to mind. I brushed a silvery-blond hair away from her cheek. _What am I doing? She loves Lucius… doesn't she?_

_"I can't take it anymore, Severus. I can't. Lucius is never home, and when he is, we're fighting. I know I loved him once, Severus. I know I did. But I don't now."_

_She's lying…_ I sighed. _She's loved him this whole time. She's just unhappy with him._ I hated doubting myself. I stood up, wrapping my robes around myself and walked out of the room, feeling weighed down by my troubles and shame. _She is certainly beautiful, a sad beauty…_ But I couldn't bring myself to hurt her. No, that wasn't it. To hurt Draco was to hurt Narcissa. If he knew about the relationship, he would either be heartbroken or furious – two emotions I knew Cissa couldn't handle from her boy. I had had my fun. It was time to end it. It was getting too serious. _I will always be there for you, Cissa. Just…_

I looked back to the bedroom door, feeling very alone considering what I had been through. I did love her, I was sure, but not enough to truly hurt her. My hand slid down the banister as I made my way down the stairs, feeling like a shadow as I slithered around. As my feet reached the floor, I paused, hearing a _pop_ from not too far away. I craned my head, reaching in my robes for my wand, expecting the worst and hoping for the best.

I received something… in between. He came waltzing out of the room, exuding an undeserved confidence that irritated me.

"Severus? What the hell are you doing here?"

Lucius Malfoy eyed me suspiciously.

_**End Chapter Seventeen**_

_(Author's Note: I know you all want to kill me by now, but I updated! Sorry for the long wait. I've been asked by a couple of you, but I'll explain here - my computer crashed in the middle of my writing the original draft of this chapter - which was way different - and I lost __everything. I had to get a new computer, and I couldn't get inspiration to write on this thing. Then, suddenly, this burst of HP inspiration hit me this morning and I managed to get this out! I don't think it's my best work, but it's something, right? I think I'm actually gonna be able to finish this thing ---eventually. Lol! So... yeah, I hope you liked!)_


	18. Chapter 18

_**Chapter Eighteen**_

_Don't speak.  
I know just what you're saying.  
So please stop explaining.  
Don't tell me cause it hurts.  
-No Doubt_

(Severus Snape)

I stood there, dumbfounded for a long moment, completely at a loss of what to say. After all, I hadn't been expecting Lucius Malfoy to just appear at the manor in which people were searching for him. _That's a good start._

"Lucius! _Merlin_, man, are you _looking_ to be _found_?! This whole place is surrounded by Aurors. They get one whiff of you and you're off to Azkaban again!" I rushed at him with a harsh whisper.

Lucius stared down his nose at me - a look that he had perfected in the Slytherin dormitories years ago. "I'm not worried. Now answer me."

"Narcissa was worried without you here. She is all alone right now… not that you care…" The last bit was a bitter murmur. "Why are _you_ here, Lucius? Don't you have some… children to torture or something?"

He crossed his arms. "Feeling a little catty today, eh, Severus?" He looked less than pleased. "I'm looking for my wife."

"She's asleep. She wasn't feeling well. What do you want her for? It isn't like you've thought much of her in the past few months."

"My son has already betrayed me, Severus. I certainly hope my wife hasn't gone the same way…" a pause. "As you."

I glowered at him, my eyebrows furrowed. "I haven't betrayed you, Lucius. You know that."

"No, I don't. Why don't you go back to your precious Dumbledore. I'm sure _you_ know where he is."

"I do not." I clenched my fists. "And I'm not going anywhere! Wh-where have you earned the right to come waltzing in here, telling her what to do? She's intelligent, independent."

Lucius rolled his eyes back in his head, shoving me aside. "Out of my way, Severus. Stop being a git."

_How could she have ever loved him?..._ My hand shot out and whirled Lucius around. "No."

He looked rather surprised. "You've grown audacious in your old age."

"Fuck off, Lucius. Get out of here before you get caught."

Lucius's wand was drawn before I even had a chance to see him grasp it. Dark eyes charged into mine, angry and cold. "Don't start that, Severus. You'll get yourself hurt."

"…Let her rest," I finally gave in. "She's been very… upset… over Draco's betrayal."

Lucius sneered, shoving his wand back into his robes. "Fine."

He whirled around in a swirl of robes and stalked up the stairs. I watched him go, not wanting to follow. _I should leave. I've overstayed my welcome._ Then again, I didn't want to leave Cissa alone with him – not out of some childish jealousy, but out of worry for her safety. Lucius was obviously in _no_ mood to be bothered. I bowed my head for a moment, my thoughts lingering on their son. _He was born into a world of such animosity…_ It really wasn't fair. He was still just a child. He didn't deserve to be involved in all of his father's affairs.

I followed quietly after Lucius, careful not to get too close to his shadow, lurking with a prowess that most could never have. As I curled around the corner, I saw that he had completely ignored my suggestion and stomped right into the bedroom.

"Cissa," he stated coldly.

My hand crept to my wand again, ready to fire if things got out of hand.

"Wh-what?" she stirred, confused, lifting her head slightly. "Lucius?! What in-"

"Get yourself decent. We're getting out of here."

Narcissa yanked the sheet around herself, an angry blush on her features. "I'm not going anywhere until Draco comes home."

"He's not _coming home_, Cissa," Lucius growled. "He's betrayed us for the young Potter boy. You know that."

Narcissa's lips tightened as her eyes welled with tears.

"That's enough, Lucius," I sighed from the doorway.

"You're still here?" he hissed. "Get out of my house, Severus."

"I already told you that I'm not leaving."I looked past him to Narcissa. Guilt was lingering at the edges of her features. I think the most surprising part of it was that I was actually surprised.

"Calm down, Lucius," Narcissa cut in. "Let's be adults here. Where exactly do you want me to go?"

"To Hogwarts, my dear. We're protected from those Aurors there."

"_Hogwarts_?" Narcissa scoffed. "Why would we-"

"He has risen, Cissa! Salazar Slytherin is going to purge the Wizarding World of these… Mudbloods, with Lord Voldemort at his side! Finally, the Purebloods will reign again!" This was the first time Lucius has appeared excited in awhile. "Dumbledore's school has fallen into Slytherin's hands. We need to get ready. These Aurors don't stand a chance."

I felt my heart hammering against my ribs, but I swallowed my nerves, just gazing at the couple that I had come between.

"It seems a little reckless to come bolting in here, Lucius. I'm sure they had the fireplace monitored. I'm amazed that haven't carted you off to Azkaban already."

"My fireplace has been re-secured, Severus, thank you," Lucius growled. "Lord Voldemort has made sure of it. Now… my wife and I are going to Hogwarts. I suggest you figure out whose side you're on before you show your face around us again."

Narcissa had managed to get dressed while Lucius had been speaking, her hair messy and frazzled. She hardly looked like she had it together. She looked over Lucius shoulder to me, and I wanted to look away. But of course… I couldn't.

"…You know whose side I'm on."

Narcissa glowered at the back of Lucius's head, her lips drawn to a thin, thin line. She had been so happy just a few minutes ago, blissfully unaware of her husband's reappearance in her home.

"Don' t be so rude to Severus, Lucius," she hissed, sounding very much like her son. "He's been very good to this family – not that you would know. You're never here!"

Lucius spun around to her and smacked her across the face.

I shoved my wand into Lucius's back.

"How dare you!" I yelled, politeness forgotten.

Narcissa stood very still, the red hand print standing out on her alabaster skin. Her eyes watered, but she didn't let tears fall. She looked more shocked than upset. Lucius glanced over his shoulder at me.

"My, my, Severus. You're awfully upset."

"A real gentleman never hits a lady, Lucius."

"Oh, stop being such a child!"

Then Lucius had turned and had his wand pointed at me, staring me down with that ugly smirk on his face. My hand was shaking in a rage. _Damn it… this doesn't have anything to do with Voldemort or Dumbledore…. I… I think he knows that._

The fear was cold in my gut.

(Draco Malfoy)

Okay, so the idea wasn't perfect – especially the point when they had to rough me up to make me look believable.

"Ow, for Merlin's _sake_, Ron!" I yelped. "You're enjoying this, you prat."

Ron paused after delivering a swift kick to my ribs. "I'd be lying if I said no. But come on, Malfoy – you've given me plenty of problems over the years."

Hermione gave a sharp pull to my hair. "Ow! Not you too, Hermione!"

She tightened her lips. "_Please._ You gave me more hell than anyone else!"

Ginny stood against the wall, keeping watch for Molly or Arthur. After all – if either of them saw what was happening in Harry's bedroom – it might look a bit strange. They would be onto us.

"You guys are taking too long," Ginny sighed. "You're being awfully cruel. Here. Let's finish this."

One swift Bat-Bogey Hex later, I was lying in a heap and Ginny was laughing so hard she was crying. _Bloody Weasley._

"Okay, okay, that's enough," I insisted. _Bloody glad Fred and George weren't involved…_

Fully roughed up – and pretty damn sore, I followed the others into an old, dusty study. Kreacher was poking at the fire with a pinched look on his face. Upon seeing us, he bowed at my feet.

"Is there anything you need, Master Malfoy?"

"Keep everyone else downstairs and busy," I said with a commanding tone. "Do _not_ let them know where we are."

"Yes, Master."

Hermione threw the Floo Powder onto the fire, and I watched it turn a deathly green. Harry took to a binding spell that kept me very still. I looked at him, making eye contact.

"Send me off, the Apparate in the direction of Hogwarts. I will let you in somehow. If I can't, I'll send up a flare. Then it'll be up to you… but do me a favor."

Harry nodded. "What?"

"Whatever happens… don't worry about me, okay? You're the Boy-Who-Lived. You can't fall to Salazar Slytherin. We have to take Voldemort out too. We're gonna need you for that."

He nodded solemnly, but I doubt he planned on letting that prevent him from helping me. He was a martyr - that was for sure. With finality, he shoved me into the fireplace, yelling – "Take him to Hogwarts."

Suddenly, I wasn't so sure of myself….

_**End of Chapter Eighteen**_


	19. Chapter 19

_**Chapter Nineteen**_

_Secrets  
Eating at the core of me  
Shut off  
Trusting all the lies I breathe.  
-Kelly Clarkson_

(Draco Malfoy)

I toppled out of what was once Dumbledore's fireplace, and I could feel the soreness in my arms and legs, being that I couldn't move them. Still, I couldn't let it ruin my act.

"Bloody Muggle-lovers," I muttered, wincing. "I didn't say anything that wasn't true."

My eyes trailed upwards to the large desk where the Headmaster had once sat to see the entire office revamped to something far more different. The office was lavishly decorated in green and silver, and the once whimsical looking sculptures that adorned the place had been replaced with much sharper, more violent looking ones. I swallowed heavily, my eyes moving to the center of the room. At the large desk sat Salazar Slytherin himself, a rather surprised look upon his pinched features.

I shivered involuntarily. The room felt cold.

He stood, his long dark robes falling around his feet and moved around the desk to me with a haughty grace.

"The boy that gave me life again, eh? I was certain I'd have to kill you in battle, and yet here you are! You're making this too easy."

"Don't judge me so quickly, Lord Slytherin," I whispered harshly. "I think I could be useful to you."

Salazar raised an eyebrow as if to say _I'm listening._

"Unbind me and I'll explain why I'm here. I don't think you'll be disappointed."

With a quick flip of his wand, I was released. My arms flopped away from my sides quickly and I popped my knuckles to get the blood moving again.

"I can just as quickly kill you. Start talking."

I looked up at him with a smirk. "Potter and his little crew decided that my life wasn't worth theirs so they sent me here. To you. They knew you wanted me, and I guess I must have pissed them off or something. Something I said? Probably. Either way, they roughed me up pretty good and sent me through the Floo. I imagine they've closed it off so I can't come back."

He looked dubious, but the spark that had flown to his eyes was proof enough that he believed me.

"Perhaps they're jealous of us purebloods. I say to hell with them. Let them burn like they deserve. Muggle lovers…"

I couldn't believe how bad it felt to say those words. These _were_ my friends now, however. I couldn't help but think back on the horrible words I'd spoken over the years, implanted into my brain by my pureblood family. _No… I can't blame it on their blood…._

I looked back up to Salazar, careful not to break eye contact, even though, deep down, I was scared out of my wits. He was analyzing me with dark eyes, his hand on his chin.

"Hm… I could just kill you, you know."

I swallowed. "Yes, master. I know."

"…But… you could also be quite useful to me."

I bowed at his feet, feeling ill at the mere sight of his swart shoe. This plan was stupid. I was going to end up dead and nothing was going to happen. I wasn't a good enough actor to pull this off…. The doubts were piling up in the back of my mind, but I refused to let them show upon my face. _NO! I have to do this. I have to be strong for them…_

Salazar grabbed the back of my shirt and yanked me up with a ferocity that I could vaguely recall from the first time we'd actually met face-to-face. He grinned with his yellowing teeth, and I could only help but feel I was in the presence of a corpse.

"I'll give you a chance, boy… simply because of your name."

It wasn't the first time my name had gotten me something – but it was one of the first I truly appreciated it.

He shoved me out of the office, down the spiral staircase and into the foyer. Gazing at the area, I found myself dumbfounded by the changes. Salazar Slytherin had… dare I say it… _Slytherin-ized_ the castle. The emerald draperies and silver, violent looking sculptures that adorned the entire area seemed almost… gaudy. Everything reminded me of the dungeons I had spent years in, hoping only to have the approval of my friends or good grades… then Voldemort arose during my fourth year… and I was a slave to my Father's whims. It made me feel sick seeing all the green. _Green_ was where I was controlled. _Green_ was where Blaise died. _Green_ was the color of the Harry's eyes, especially when he was upset. I suppressed a shiver that ran down my spine as Slytherin's cold, pallid hand clapped against my back, pushing me forward into the Great Hall.

I swallowed.

Lord Voldemort sat in front of me, his legs crossed defiantly, sitting proudly in Dumbledore's breakfast chair. It made me sick and furious. _That… that chair doesn't belong to you._ A year ago, I probably would have been proud to see the Headmaster dethroned, but this just didn't seem right. Still, to keep up my act, I bowed to him.

"Lord Slytherin, _why_ is the young Malfoy here?" he asked in that hoarse whisper that still made my stomach jump into my chest.

"Why, he's seen the light," Salazar replied, cackling with a condescending air. I was starting to think he didn't believe me at all.

I swallowed again, praying that was not the case.

"Seems a little convenient, this boy just dropping into our laps," Voldemort said. "Tell me boy, do you have your wand?"

"…No, my lord," I replied. "It was confiscated from me by the Potter boy before they sent me away to save their own lives." My wand was tucked away, strapped to my torso in order to remain hidden. It was a tad unorthodox, but it worked nonetheless.

"The _noble_ Potter boy gave you up for his own life?" Voldemort didn't sound the least bit impressed, but he did sound as if he was on to me. _Fuck._

"Yes sir. I… spoke the truth about his idiot parents and he sent me away. I guess he didn't figure my bloody life was worth his. Not that I'm surprised. The boy's far more corrupt than some believe."

I wasn't really sure where all the lies were coming from. I was just winging it by that point.

"You were awfully quick to change sides."

Salazar's eyebrows furrowed. He was listening to Voldemort. I took a deep breath.

"Well, sir, if I may… Your side was losing at the time that I switched. I'd rather be on the side that wins. Now that you're obviously taking control, here I am. I suggest you keep your victories coming."

There was a long silence. _I'm dead. He's going to kill me. I'm dead right now._

Salazar Slytherin laughed a booming baritone that sucked the blood right from my face and left me withered and pale. I looked up at him, waiting for that curse to hit me in the chest, ending my life forever.

"This boy _is_ a true Slytherin!" he exclaimed, clearly amused.

_Wow… lucky break…_ I laughed a little nervously, feeling that cold hand pat me violently on the back. I still felt ill with Slytherin around.

My eyes trailed up to Voldemort. He still looked dubious of my position, but he wasn't going to pry anymore for the time being. Slytherin shoved me forward.

"Come, boy. There's much to do."

_I've still got to get in contact with Harry…._ "I hate to interrupt, Lord Slytherin, but I'm awfully roughed up. You think I could go down to my bedroom and clean up? I'll show those lousy Muggle-lovers what's what."

I was starting to think I should be an actor.

"Certainly, certainly!" Slytherin seemed downright jovial as he escorted me from the Great Hall and down to the dungeons.

I kept my guard up, however. I definitely wasn't in the clear yet. With the Dark Lord _and_ Slytherin in the same castle – we had a hell of a fight on our hands.

(Molly Weasley)

The pounding on the door of 12 Grimmauld Place came about ten o' clock in the evening. I put my teacup down and slowly made my way to the door, a little confused at who would be coming at such an hour – or even who knew where we were. I had my wand ready as I opened the door.

"Molly!"

"Remus?!"

Lupin and Tonks stood on the stoop, looking worn out. I quickly stepped to the side to let them in. "Is there an Order meeting?"

"Not really – but it wouldn't be a bad idea to call one with everything happening. I believe Slytherin's making his move, and You-Know-Who is with him."

I crossed my arms, displeased. I never liked to hear anything like that. Fred and George had perked up from the sofa, so I knew there was no hiding it from them. Arthur had also come from the kitchen as well.

"Oy, hello, Remus, Nymphadora. How are you?"

"Been better," Tonks replied, her hair (which was a sparkling bright red at the moment) falling in her face. "But listen. We've been getting information from Snape about the Death Eaters whereabouts-"

"-Though he's been particularly vague," Lupin cut in, his childhood activities with Severus still apparent on his features. "He's practically disappeared out of the Wizarding World as a whole. Probably lurking in shadows and whatnot…"

Tonks put her hands on her hips. "_Anyway_, the last we heard, Slytherin had taken over Hogwarts and Voldemort went with him. And things are starting to heat up in that direction. I think they're about to make their move. We need to be ready."

I looked to Arthur. "Oh goodness…"

(Severus Snape)

We were at a standoff for a manner of minutes. I wasn't sure if I should attack or step down. I know that attacking him seemed like the more favorable option, but I didn't want to upset Narcissa nor make Lucius question my loyalty anymore than he already was. That could have been severely inconvenient. I sighed.

"Look, Lucius. This is ridiculous. Let's stop acting like children. Go back to the Dark Lord. I'm sure he needs your assistance right now. I will bring Narcissa along and make sure she is safe until she is in your protection again, alright?"

Lucius glared me down. "Narcissa will be perfectly fine coming with me now."

"Not if the Aurors get whiff you leaving. They'll shoot to kill, Lucius. I don't know if you're okay with that."

"We won't be running into any Aurors, Severus. _Thank you_," Lucius replied through gritted teeth, never lowering his wand.

"…Lucius… maybe Severus has a point," Narcissa muttered warily.

"Enough, Narcissa. We're leaving now," he growled.

"I insist, Lucius-" I offered.

"_Crucio._"

The breath was sucked out of my lungs as my knees buckled. I landed shakily on the floor, refusing to make a noise. I watched Lucius walk by me confidently with a withering Narcissa behind him. She gave me a fearful, sorrowful look as she went by, but I knew she wouldn't do anything. She was afraid, and, though he didn't show it, Lucius was too. The entire family was afraid. I heard them leave right before Aurors burst through the doors. They had picked up on that curse. I could only hope I wouldn't be blamed.

"Bloody day this has turned out to be…"

_**End Chapter Nineteen**_


	20. Chapter 20

_**Chapter Twenty**_

_Peaceful dreams  
Live in you  
Besides the things we hold  
Dear in our hearts  
Fear it brings  
Faith in unseen  
Living in as one  
The difference in you and me  
-Submersed_

(Remus Lupin)

Molly had set out two warm cups of tea for Nymphadora and I. I enjoyed it only slightly, because, frankly, the situation that caused me to be there was still plaguing my mind. Tonks was actually, but not surprisingly, more chatty than I was at the moment.

"…So what do you think, Molly?" she finished. "Should we rush in or lay low?"

Molly's cheeks had flushed in frustration as she pursed her lips. "I… I'm not sure about this one. It'd be reckless to go running in now, but… we may not have a choice."

"You're right, Molly. It's dangerous, but-"

A loud rapping on the door interrupted our conversation. The entire room looked at each other worriedly, paranoid. Fred Weasley stood slowly, his wand ready, and made his way to the door. George and I followed closely behind. Again, the rapping came and died off. Fred ripped the door open, pointing his wand at the sudden, new visitor, only to pause, confused.

"P-Professor Snape?"

There was a moment of silence, then Fred looked to his twin. "Can we still hurt him?"

Severus, of course, ignored him and waltzed past the two to the inside. "We have a problem."

"Where have _you_ been, Severus?" Nymphadora asked, kicking her boot-clad feet off the couch. "We haven't heard a peep from you in a month!" She paused. "You look like hell!"

"As do you, Nymphadora," he replied rather curtly. "Look, we don't have time. Slytherin's gathering the Death Eaters. If we're going to move, we need to do it _now_. Where's Draco?"

"He's upstairs with the rest of the children," Molly answered softly. "They've been awfully quiet."

I looked at Severus, and though we had been at odds since our youth, we both also knew how things worked in the minds of said youths – especially the one related to James Potter.

"Oh, Merlin…"

Before we rushed up the stairs; before we pushed open every bedroom door; before we muttered obscenities… well, we all knew they were gone.

(Harry Potter)

"He's taking too long. Maybe we should go." I rapped my fingers against the branch of the tree we were sitting in, just on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

"He hasn't sent a signal or a flare. I'm sure he's fine," Ginny replied, though she looked like she was about to jump out of her skin.

Hermione and Ron weren't saying much, just sitting on the branch next to us, holding hands and looking worried.

_This could get really bad…._

The thought of the war seemed to solidify in my mind for the first time. It left me feeling numb and completely dazed. _We… could die. Malfoy could already be dead by now._

"I hope he's okay…"

(Draco Malfoy)

The dungeons were as dingy as I remember, but I refused to go anywhere else. I told Salazar that my clothing was still in the dungeons, and I would change in my dormitory. Besides, to be alone would give me an opportunity to send a message to Harry. As soon as I was alone, I tore off my shirt and pulled my wand from my side. I'd been practicing in secret – no one knew that I had figured out what to do.

"_Expecto Patronum,_" I whispered, and the dragon burst from my wand, swirling around the room and around my form.

I closed my eyes. "Harry, this is worse than we thought. Voldemort is here. I'm playing their game for now. I suggest you find a way to sneak in – maybe through the One-Eyed Witch Passageway from Honeydukes. I know it's a long way, but it'll take you straight to the greenhouses. You can get in through there. If you have another idea, I'll trust your judgment. I'll be in touch. Stay safe."

I sent the Patronus out, through the walls of the dungeon. The warmth of the air dissipated, leaving me chilly and lonely once again. I shook my head, tying my wand back against my torso and digging in my armoire for clothing. _I need something regal – something that makes them think I'm not lying to them._ I decided on black slacks, a matching button down, my green and silver uniform tie, and an elegant emerald robe with a silver clasp of snakes kissing my mother had sent a year or so ago that I had never worn.

"That should do," I said, stepping up the mirror and slicking back my hair. It was strange, looking at myself. I looked just like my father.

I remember a time when that would make me proud…

But I wasn't sure anymore.

I cleaned my face, yanked the hood of my robe over my head, and waltzed out of the room with an air of confidence that only a Malfoy could have. I could only hope I could keep my composure for long enough to attack when ready. I slithered out of the dungeons and up the stairs, arching my eyebrows defiantly. I couldn't help but worry, deep down. I was in far too deep to go back, and now I had to start doing the walking, not just the talking. It was terrifying.

As I moved up the staircase into Dumbledore's old office, I found Slytherin was not residing there. I was alone.

But not for long.

(Harry Potter)

"Hey… I see something," I said quickly, shaking Ginny (who had fallen into a bit of a doze) awake. "Look!"

She squinted, peering at the figure that was approaching us. "It's… a Patronus! It's Draco's Patronus!"

I let go a breath I didn't know I was holding. Malfoy was alive. _For now._ It swirled around us in the forest, lighting it slightly so we could see each other's faces.

_"Harry, this is worse than we thought. Voldemort is here. I'm playing their game for now. I suggest you find a way to sneak in – maybe through the One-Eyed Witch Passageway from Honeydukes. I know it's a long way, but it'll take you straight to the greenhouses. You can get in through there. If you have another idea, I'll trust your judgment. I'll be in touch. Stay safe."_

"Wha-" I sat there, dumbfounded. "When did he learn to do that?"

Ron seemed to snicker at the very thought of it, but a quick glare from me shut him up.

"Let's pay attention to what he _said_," Ginny replied quickly to prevent arguments. "Do you think we should take the One-Eyed Witch Passage way or go through the Shrieking Shack to the Whomping Willow?"

"Neither of the pathways will get us very far into the castle," Hermione sighed. "The greenhouses aren't exactly connected to the castle. We might as well sneak in under cover of darkness. Either way, we're completely exposed."

"_Bollocks_," Ron whispered. "What do we do?"

"I don't know. Malfoy didn't give us very much information. And Voldemort is here too…"

"Malfoy should offer a pretty good distraction. We may be able to sneak in," Ginny said. "Hmm… I wonder if there's a way into the Chamber of Secrets from outside the castle."

"No. It's a gigantic pipe below ground. We'd have to dig our way in."

"There are plenty of hidden passageways in the castle," Hermione said.

"Wait a second," Ron cut in. "Why don't we just look at the Marauder's Map? It'll tell us where everyone is, and we can sneak in where they are _not_."

"Death Eaters are probably guarding every entrance."

"It's worth a look!"

I sighed, pulling the map out of my robes. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." _Actually, I'm up to a lot of good…_

The map appeared before our eyes.

(Draco Malfoy)

I froze, my hand instinctively trailing to my side as the Floo burst into a frenzy, then died down to reveal two figures behind the fire. All the blood drained from my face.

"D-Draco?" My parents spoke the word simultaneously, though my father sounded confused and my mother, relieved.

"Ohhh!" Mother exclaimed, rushing from the fireplace to throw her arms around me, tears fresh on her cheeks. I placed my hands softly on her shoulders, never taking my eyes off my father.

"Hello, Father," I said with a lack of emotion.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, looking at a loss for words. "Didn't you join sides with the Potter boy?"

"I don't believe that matters to you anymore," I replied curtly.

"Oh, Draco," my mother ignored the tense air, pulling back to cup my face in her chilly, pale hands. I wanted to smile and embrace her, but I just couldn't allow myself to do that. Not at that moment. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, mother." _Actually, I'm scared out of my mind and I could really use your support. But I can't accept it._ "Please let go of me."

She looked completely distraught as she pulled away. Her sapphire dress stood out among everything else in the room. She was the only thing that didn't appear to belong at all. _It's because she doesn't belong here. Maybe…I do._

My focus shifted back to my father. "Is there anything else you want, because I'm going to look for Lord Slytherin."

My father's face grew even paler than my own. "Wh-what? D-Draco, did you switch sides _again_?!"

"That's none of your concern!" I hissed. "Perhaps you should focus on your _own life_, Father. It seems to have been your only focus as of late. I don't know why you're bothering with me now."

I spun on my heel and left the room.

I heard one sob from my mother before the door slammed.

(Narcissa Malfoy)

There was a long silence as my husband and I stared at the door in which our son had just left. _Merlin… he's grown so much in a few months…. I haven't seen my baby boy in months… and look how he's grown._

"Do you… see… what you've _done, _Lucius?! _DO YOU SEE?!_" My voice escaped in a hoarse yelp.

I whirled to look at him, my platinum hair flying around behind my back, tears pouring down my face. "You've done it now, Lucius. You've completely _isolated and alienated_ your own _son_! He's gone, Lucius. He's left us! Our baby boy is growing up without us because you were too _afraid_ to protect him!" I screamed at him, no longer able to hold myself back.

Lucius said not a word. His jaw tightened as he stared me in the eyes, but I could see shame glistening in the dark black irises. I turned away from him.

"Merlin… he… he looks _just like you_, Lucius! You couldn't deny him if you wanted to… and yet… you have. You've _denied_ him, Lucius. Now he's denying _us_. Tell me, husband, why do _we_ have to suffer for _you_?! _Tell me that you're worth it! __**Give me a damn sign that you're worth it!**_"

"He'll kill us all, Cissa-"

"This isn't about the Dark Lord or Slytherin, Lucius. It's about _you_. It's about this _family_. Now answer me. Are you _worth_ this _pain_?!"

There was another long silence. "I… don't know, Cissa."

"Wh-what?"

Lucius cast his eyes to the side. "That's always been your decision, hasn't it? Why don't you tell me? _Am_ I worth it? Or perhaps you'd rather do this for _Severus_?!"

I'd been caught, but I wasn't going to let his accusation stop me from making my point.

"I wouldn't do this for anybody, Lucius. I wouldn't give up my _son_. And yet I've been forced to. _For you._ No, you're not worth it. You're not worth this. You're not… fucking worth _anything anymore_!"

Lucius slapped me again, and I felt the sting of the slap for a matter of seconds. His wedding ring had left a welt on the side of my face. _How ironic…_

"Then why are you _here,_ Cissa?!"

I didn't look at him. "Lucius…"

I couldn't believe it… but I still loved him. _That's why I'm here. I'm not just afraid for me or my son. I'm afraid for you too, Lucius. I love you. I don't want you to be involved in this anymore._

"I… want the family we used to have, Lucius. I do…"

"It's gone, Cissa," he growled, making his exit the same way his son did. "That family died a long time ago. I… I'm sorry."

I collapsed to the floor as the door shut behind him. "I _hate you! __**I HATE YOU!**_"

Tears poured down my cheeks as I banged my fists against the floor.

The thing I hated most was that I was lying.

_**End Chapter Twenty**_

(Author's Note: Wow.... two updates in one day? I'm on a roll! I love the end of this chapter. I've been wanting to write a scene between these two for awhile. I want the readers to start to understand Lucius and his actions. Don't know if it changes your opinion, but hey, I wrote it. Lol! Hope you liked!)


	21. Chapter 21

_**Chapter Twenty-One**_

_It's been 18 days  
Since I had look at myself  
I don't wanna have to change  
If I don't then no one will  
Is it my state of mind  
Or is it just everything else  
I don't wanna have to be here  
I don't understand it now  
-Saving Abel_

(Lucius Malfoy)

I followed my son for quite a few minutes, keeping quiet as I paced silently behind him. The boy walked confidently, just as I had taught him years before, and yet his shoulders were slumping slightly. I hadn't been a hell of a father, but I knew the signs that Draco gave off when he wasn't happy. Something was wrong, stewing beneath the surface. I could see it in the stiffness of his jaw too.

He stopped in his tracks. "Why are you following me?"

_He's also got bloody good hearing._ "Draco… you should go back to your mother."

"What, and apologize? Please, father. I'm beyond apologies with the both of you. Though she's been there for me _far_ more than you have, she's guilty of the same crime as you. You're both too scared to stand up to _anyone_, even when your _son_ is on the line! Now look me in the eyes and tell me that's fair."

He turned around, crossing his arms, his silver eyes shining in fury. I sighed.

"It's… not, Draco. But what do you want me to do?!"

"Stand up and be a man, father! You've been trembling behind The Dark Lord and you're trembling behind Slytherin now! You have _no_ power father, and you did… once. How could you allow yourself to become this… piece of rubbish?"

"Look at yourself!" I argued, feeling childish. "You're here as well!"

Draco's jaw locked in place, and I immediately knew. _He's lied his way into Slytherin's trust…._

"Oh, I see," I growled. "Still being foolish."

He let off a humorless laugh. "I don't care, Father. I don't."

He turned around and took off again, his pace a little quicker. I stood alone, watching him. _Merlin… he _does_ look like me._

"D-draco, wait a second."

He stopped again, but didn't turn. "What?!"

"Get out of here, son… while you still can. Take your mother and run."

"Don't try to play the hero now, father. I'm done running. I'm here to fight back. It's what you_ should_ have done years ago."

The boy was frigid, that was for sure. It made me wonder when the last time was that I had seen him smile. _Hell, when was the last time I saw him? When we attacked Hogwarts?_ It made me feel even worse.

(Draco Malfoy)

_Bloody bastard. He's interfering with my plans._ Though I was fairly sure that wasn't the reason he angered me. He was starting to feel fatherly too late. I was done… or at least, that's what I told myself. At the time, I had far too many things on my mind to question my father's motives. I stepped into the Great Hall and halted in my place.

Before me sat Salazar Slytherin, with Voldemort to his right, and then, before me, where the students of Hogwarts once resided, was a large crowd of Death Eaters and horrifying magical creatures, all aligned and chanting in the name of their lord and his heir. I swallowed heavily, looking around. Fenrir Greyback caught my attention particularly quickly. The werewolf scared the hell out of me, especially the way he looked at me… as if I was something he could snack on when he was hungry. My lip quivered a bit at the thought. I wouldn't lie myself out of his clutches – I would need to steer clear of him.

I, instead, approached Slytherin and Voldemort. "I see you started the show without me, my lords." I smirked.

Salazar returned the smirk, folding his hands in front of him. "My boy, there's much to do. I can't spend all night waiting on you."

"Understandably so, my lord," I exclaimed. "Now, if you could, please tell me what we're going to do first?"

"My boy, it's quite simple. In fact, you'll definitely know soon enough." Salazar's eyes twinkled – but they had the exact opposite effect that Dumbledore's eyes would.

"Draco?!"

I was whirled around ferociously to look up at my Aunt Bellatrix.

"O-oh… Aunt Bella," I murmured, surprised for some reason.

Her wild eyes glared down at me. She'd lost some more weight, which made her appear even more skeletal than before. She was almost as frightening as Greyback. Almost. She gripped my arm.

"Oh! My… nephew! Come with me, dear! We must catch up!"

She wasn't nearly as good an actor as I was. She dragged me across the Great Hall, out the double doors and into a deserted corridor before I ripped my arm from her grasp.

"What do you_ want_?!"

"What are you doing here, you bloody little _traitor_?!" She hissed, wrinkling her sharp nose at me.

"I'm here doing my job. I'm no traitor. I just know whose winning. Excuse me if my endless devotion for your lord may lack when he's being pathetic."

Bella's eyes were ablaze, her scarlet lips painted into a thin red line. "How dare you speak of the Dark Lord in such a manner!"

"He's winning now, Aunt Bellatrix. I'm here because he's winning."

She seethed. "_He's_ not doing anything!"

This statement surprised me. "Wh-what?"

She growled, tossing a black lock of hair over her shoulder. "Ever since Slytherin arose, the Dark Lord has been reduced to… dare I say it… a sidekick!" The very thought of it seemed to make her sick with rage. "He's done all the work – why should Slytherin take any of the credit? The Dark Lord _gathered the followers,_ _**revived him!**_ How dare he come between the Dark Lord and his plans…"

I blinked. "Why… are you telling this… to me?"

She looked at me, surprised, almost as if she hadn't realized I was still there. "O-oh… I'm sorry, dear. You just look so much like my sister sometimes… I suppose I forget… sometimes."

I was fairly sure Bellatrix had snapped. "M-mother says I look more like Father." I wasn't sure if I was comfortable discussing anything with her anymore.

"Ugh… Lucius…." She looked me up and down. Her expression was vague, corpse-like. "No, no. You're… too soft to look like your father. Your mother raised you, didn't she? Of course you'd take more after her."

"Aunt Bellatrix… are you alright?" I finally asked, watching her shift and stumble off to my right.

"I don't understand," she whispered. "Slytherin's the purest of us all…. I cannot dislike him. He _created_ us."

A manic smile played upon her lips that left me chilled to the bone. "Aunt Bellatrix?"

Then, tears started to pour from her eyes and she fell back against the wall, sliding down the brick to the cold, cobblestone floor.

"Wh-what?! What's wrong with you?!" I knelt down and grabbed her face, forcing her to look at me. "Aunt Bella, what's wrong?"

"Don't bother," came a voice from behind. "Slytherin hit her with the Imperius Curse quite a few times this morning. Her mind's not in the right place."

I turned to see Rodolphus Lestrange, Bellatrix's husband, glowering at me… and yet… he looked almost distraught, as if he'd aged ten years. _This is horrible._

"Why?" The question came out as if I was a child, begging uncle to tell him why.

Rodolphus's jaw tightened. "She has been rather… rebellious to Lord Slytherin. She has been so obsessed with being Lord Voldemort's right hand that the fact that Lord Slytherin is above him now has frustrated her. I can definitely understand why, but…" He gazed at his wife with dark eyes. "She's being stupid."

"The Death Eaters don't like him, then?" I murmured.

Rodolphus and I had never been very close, but I had a bit of respect for him for some reason. I imagine my father had something to do with it. The respect for my uncle had been engrained in me as a child, and I never looked down my nose at him. That was just how our relationship worked. I had issues with Bellatrix, simply because she was almost a shadow of my mother, and that, frankly, creeped me out. Her devotion to Voldemort also had the tendency to get in the way of any warm family conversations.

"The Death Eaters do as they are told," Rodolphus replied rather blandly, striding past me to grasp Bellatrix's arm and pull her up. "Come, wife. Let's go."

She had dropped into a deathly silence. I could only continue to worry about her sanity deep down. I wasn't sure about Rodolphus's thoughts – he was always so hard to read. _This is really bad. Even the Death Eaters are unhappy. It's as if… all the work they've done is now being credited to one man. This may come in handy if we're going to take down Slytherin…. But that doesn't put Voldemort in the right either. We've got quite a few issues here…. What is Slytherin planning? And why won't he tell me?_

I shuddered.

"Problem?" Rodolphus asked rather snidely.

"No. Just chilly," I replied, equally so.

_Where is Harry? I need to find him. Ugh! I should have planned this better!_

I crossed my arms and moved past Rodolphus, feeling bothered and frustrated.

"My mother and father are around here somewhere. Why don't you go bid them a hello? I think it could do Aunt Bella some good." _I need to be alone. I need to figure out where Harry and the others are._

Rodolphus snorted in reply, but I was quickly left alone to my thoughts.

_"My boy, it's quite simple. In fact, you'll definitely know soon enough."_

I was afraid to know what he meant.

_**End Chapter Twenty-One**_


	22. Chapter 22

_**Chapter Twenty-Two**_

_Another hero - another mindless crime.  
Behind the curtain, in the pantomime.  
Hold the line!  
-Queen_

(Draco Malfoy)

I ran a hand through my hair as I reentered the Great Hall, still completely lost to the fact that I was surrounded by Death Eaters, my mind focused on where Harry and the others might be. _Oh Merlin… did Slytherin capture them?!_ My eyes shifted quickly to Slytherin, who seemed pretty content in making plans with Voldemort. He was confident, of course, but he didn't have the look that gave me the idea that he had kidnapped my friends. _I've been wrong before though._ I eyed him warily as I mulled around with the other Death Eaters. There was an odd sense of excitement in the air, though it was lulled, hushed – a calm before the storm. I could only predict that hell was about to open up. Nervous, I tagged alongside of Rodolphus for a moment and scoped the room.

"You're the youngest Death Eater here," came a rough growl of a voice behind me.

I jumped and then cursed myself for doing so. Fenrir Greyback's claws dug into my shoulder as he sniffed at my hair. I didn't want to shudder the way I did, but the werewolf had been an object of my nightmares for quite some time. I looked at him through my peripheral vision, seeing only small bits of the gruff features.

"I… I am," I muttered.

"Greyback, he _is_ a Death Eater. I think Lord Slytherin and the Dark Lord would prefer if he _wasn't_ your dinner," Rodolphus jumped in.

If I could have jumped up and kissed his face, I would have. _Oh, Merlin… where _is_ Harry. I've never wanted to be anywhere else in my life!_

Fenrir pulled away, and I could still feel the snarl of hot breath on the back of my neck, and the stinging points that his claws had dug into my skin. He'd been eying me all night, and though Rodolphus had told him to leave, the former fact had not changed. I sighed. It was rather pathetic that I could look Voldemort _and_ Salazar Slytherin in the face and lie, but Fenrir Greyback turned me into a withering, whimpering child.

As if things couldn't get worse, my father seemed to practically appear to my right, in place of the werewolf. I glared at him for a moment, and then decided just to ignore him. It did feel a bit nice to see him look so ashamed of himself. _He deserves it._

Slytherin stood, extending his pale hands to the crowd of Death Eaters. Nagini slithered by my feet and up to her master's, almost surrounding him in a small coil of protection. Nagini didn't seem to take well to Slytherin either. _Perhaps Voldemort wasn't aware of what Slytherin would do when he rose again._

(Albus Dumbledore)

I had never wanted to admit that one of the only things that bothered me was graveyards – they were dank and gray and overall dreadfully silent. I, of course, had to be there for reasons that were, unfortunately, beyond my control. But not for long, of course. I was coming up on the very tomb that I had planned on. I wasn't much of a grave-robber, but desperate times called for desperate measures. It had taken me a very long time to find its location, however, and I could only hope that I wasn't too late to assist.

"_Alohamora._" With a quick flick of my wand, the door to the tomb swung open.

(Harry Potter)

"Look, Harry," Ron said. "They're gathering in the Great Hall. All of 'em! They're sitting ducks!"

I gave Ron a flat look. "Ron, there are four of us all together. _We're_ the ducks."

"No," Ginny jumped in. "Draco is. We need to go and help him. Let's go."

I looked at her as she, determined, hopped from the branch and pulled out her wand. "Ginny-"

"Look, Harry. We didn't get where we're at by sitting on our bums. We fight. That's what Dumbledore's Army does."

I nodded. She was right, actually. That didn't make our charging in seem any less reckless, however. Hermione, our usual voice of reason, seemed to be out of arguments. She just gawked at Ginny.

"This is… this is reckless!"

"Yeah," Ginny replied, heading toward the castle.

I looked to Hermione and shrugged, impressed by Ginny's audacity. Everyone knew Ronald would never get up the nerve – Ginny must have gotten her mother's fiery attitude.

"Wait a second," Ron butted in. "Draco's fine. He has sent up a flare. He sent the Patronus-"

"He told us to get into the castle somehow, which means he doesn't know how long he's going to be able to keep the pureblood act up."

"Well, he kept it up for a bloody eighteen or so years," Ron whined, running his hands through his auburn hair. "I'm sure he can keep it up for another fifteen minutes or so! We should think of a plan!"

"We don't _have_ a plan, Ron! And I'd love to see you come up with some ideas," Ginny argued.

"Eh… well… uh…" Ron stammered. "I already said we should wait here! That's a plan."

Ginny rolled her eyes back in her head and started walking. "They won't expect us to come walking in the front door – it's too obvious. Now let's go."

If anyone ever told me Ginny didn't have nerve, I would punch them in the face without a second thought.

(Draco Malfoy)

I swallowed. The tension in the air was getting stronger – the Death Eaters were getting antsy. There had already been two bellowed curses thrown out of sheer, probably testosterone-based, anger. Slytherin lifted his hands to calm the crowd, looking down upon us like we were forever his subject.

I didn't like being in the front row of the group.

My arm had slipped into my cloak, grazing the wand that I had hidden away. I was wishing I'd hidden it in a more convenient spot, but I didn't want to be found out.

"My Death Eaters," Slytherin announced (much to the disdainful look of Voldemort), "It is time! We have many plans this evening. To begin, allow me to introduce someone very special to this movement – very special indeed!"

_Who?!_

He held his hand out to me. "Come boy, come up here. You deserve applause for your efforts!"

Slytherin looked downright jovial, but I couldn't dare trust him. Still, I went along. If I refused, I'd look suspicious. I stood before the Death Eaters, looking down at the pallid, tired faces for the first time in awhile. The Death Eaters may have been fighting for something completely different, but they reminded me of the Order of the Phoenix at this moment – weary and yet determined. _I suppose we're all goal oriented to a point._ Slytherin's freezing hand was clasped on my shoulder as if I was his son (which disgusted me).

"This is a very brave boy, my Death Eaters." (At this point, Bellatrix visibly flinched.) "Very brave and cunning. Tell me boy," He looked to me and all the friendliness had vanished from his features. "How well do you think you convinced me that you are on our side?"

The blood rushed from my face. I couldn't move before he performed the Cruciatus. I screamed out, falling to the floor. Salazar's words were booming against the roaring in my ears.

"Do you see?! _THIS_ is what happens to _traitors_."

_Voldemort would have just killed me,_ I thought a little too amusedly.

"I won't kill you, boy. Not yet," Salazar answered my thought as if he'd read my mind. "Suffering can be so much more… fun."

So there it was. It'd been found out. _Oh, Merlin… please don't tell me they're onto Harry._

Another curse hit me straight in the back. I gritted my teeth this time, determined not to let him delight in my pain. My hand slithered into my robe, unbuttoning my shirt and slipping around the wand hidden on my form. This would take quick reflexes, and I only hoped that Quidditch had trained me well.

It could have been the last spell I ever performed.

The wand came from me in a flash, a flare blasting through the ceiling of Hogwarts.

(Harry Potter)

I nearly crashed into Ginny. She'd stopped mid run.

"Oh… oh Merlin…" she whispered, tears threatening her eyes.

I looked up to see what had stricken her with such horror.

The flare was, in no doubt, Malfoy's. "He's been found out. Let's go!"

We rushed in the direction of the castle once more, and I was certainly glad that we'd covered the ground that we did. Maybe, just maybe, we'd be able to save him. _No… no… we will. We can't let him die._

(Draco Malfoy)

"What did you _do_, boy?!" Salazar grabbed me by the back of my neck and yanked me upwards.

I gave him the (in)famous Malfoy smirk, though it was weaker due to the Cruciatus. "Face it, Slytherin. You're… old news. You'll never achieve your goals."

Slytherin's eyes were ablaze. He shoved his wand against my chin. "Perhaps suffering _is _too good for you, boy. _Avada-_"

"_**EXPELLIARMUS!**_"

Slytherin's wand went flying. Both of us were rather surprised. The Great Hall doors had been thrown open, and in the large doorway, stood none other, than Albus Dumbledore.

If I said I was shocked, that would be an understatement.

"Dumbledore?!"

The old wizard eyed me with twinkling blue eyes. "Now, now, Mr. Slytherin. This is one of your own, isn't it? A little brash to go killing him, don't you think?"

I'd be damned if the man wasn't particularly scathing in his nonchalance.

"This boy doesn't belong in my house," Slytherin hissed, looking very much like the snake that represented him. "He's a Muggle-lover. He's not worth his pureblood name."

My hand slipped up to the clasp on my robe, unhooking the snakes. I quickly tossed it over his head and took off across the hall. _Sorry, Mother. Can't bear to save that thing now. It serves a different purpose._

By the time Slytherin had gotten the retched thing off of his head and retrieved his wand, I had bustled my way into the crowd.

"Kill him at all costs! _**KILL THAT BOY AND THE BLOODY WIZARD TOO!**_"

Suddenly, the hall was filled with curses and hexes. I took a few burning curses to the back as I slumped down the floor, trying to crawl out of the crowd. Luckily, Dumbledore was an adept enough wizard to help hold some of them off, but I knew damn well that the old man was past his prime, and he wouldn't last very long in the fight.

"We need to get out of here!" I yelled, grabbing Dumbledore by the wrist and yanking him toward the door. "We're completely outnumbered!"

"My boy, you were outnumbered _before_," came the old wizard's reply. He seemed almost amused by the whole thing. "Here."

In my hand, he placed a silver ring with a large emerald on it. Encrusted into the emerald was a large, adorned _S_. I stared at it, then looked to him.

"What is this-"

I felt a slash across my shoulder – a cutting spell. Blood poured from the new wound. Dumbledore fired back with a _Stupefy._ We were running out of time. Death Eaters were gathering around us, ready to make a final blow.

"My boy, listen. This ring will help you to defeat Salazar Slytherin. This is his only connection to his original form. I've been searching for it for you. His soul was trapped in your body, Draco. Only you can defeat him."

Yet another connection between Potter and I. It was getting strange how much we truly had in common. I looked Dumbledore in his sapphire eyes with determination.

"Lead some of these Death Eaters away. I'll handle Slytherin."

Though he looked as if he was going to protest, I gave him a stern look. "You perhaps should have been in Gryffindor after all."

Dumbledore managed to get the doors open and Death Eaters scattered into the foyer, ready for attack. I yanked my tie off my neck and tossed it aside, rushing back into battle.

But I was still hideously outnumbered. I took multiple hexes and curses before my knees buckled and I hit the ground. _Fuck! Fuck, fuck, __**FUCK**_!!!

"Draco! _Stupefy!_"

My hazy eyes looked up to see Potter and company descending upon me. They had managed to make it through the chaos and find me. At the moment, I was fairly sure I couldn't have been more grateful. Harry yanked me up by the arm.

"You okay?"

"I've been better," I replied a bit scathingly. "What, did you _walk_? Where were you?!"

"We did walk…" Harry muttered, looking embarrassed. "Well, ran."

"Harry! _Expelliarmus!_ Less talking, more spells!" Hermione yelped.

The battle began to heat up. At some points, I wasn't sure where I was or whom I was with – everything was so confusing and wild. My senses had completely gone numb. I began to just fire spells randomly – anything I could think of that would take attackers away from me. The Golden Trio and tagalongs had quickly gotten separated, and though I would catch a glimpse of Weasley hair once in awhile, I hardly saw them past that point.

I did notice one thing, however.

Father had not aimed at me once.

I don't know if it was out of guilt and shame or out of sheer desperation to take out Potter or even Ginny first. Either way, I couldn't really wrap my head around it. Had I really affected him?

A chair exploded not too far away and one of the secessions flew right into my face. I gasped at the large pain in my eye, and I could already begin to feel it swell.

_I've made a horrible mistake. I… don't think we can win this fight…._

_**End Chapter Twenty-Two**_


	23. Chapter 23

_**Chapter Twenty-Three**_

_Console me in my darkest hour,  
And tell me that you'll always hear my cries.  
I wonder what you got conspired,  
I'm sure it was the consolation prize.  
-The Killers_

(Severus Snape)

"Damn it," Remus growled, looking almost wolfish. "How could we have left them alone?"

"Because you Gryffindors are far too trusting," I replied scathingly.

Lupin replied with a rude gesture that reminded me more of Sirius than the man who was actually using it. Then again, the man was rather stressed out, so I was lucky he hadn't hexed me just then. I sighed.

"I know where we can get into Hogwarts. The wards on Malfoy Manor's Floo have been taken down."

Lupin eyed me, looking once again, much like Sirius Black. If the man had said Sirius never influenced him, he would have been lying. I glared back.

"_What?_"

"Why would you know that?"

I moved past him. "I'm a spy, remember? If you're in the Death Eater group, you're friendly with the Malfoys, Lupin. Certainly you… or… at least your girlfriend, would know that?"

Tonks put her hands on her hips, her multitude of rings glinting in the light. "I haven't had much to do with the Black family, Severus. So what's been keeping you at Malfoy Manor? Are you and Lucius having weekly poker matches?"

I felt my own lips thin a bit. "I've been speaking more to Narcissa, actually. She's been worried about her son." I didn't appreciate her peering into my social life – especially with that dubious look that reminded me of Narcissa. "Are we going or not? I know for a fact that Lucius has gone back to Hogwarts."

"And you just let him go?" Tonks looked rather flabbergasted at the idea.

I shook my head. "I attempted to stop him without blowing my cover, but I didn't want to cause any threat to Narcissa."

"There were Aurors posted outside-" Lupin began.

"Yes, but they're also completely _useless_. You know that."

Lupin, turned away, looking stressed.

"Severus," Molly cut in suddenly, looking confident. "Take us to Malfoy Manor."

(Draco Malfoy)

I ducked down below a spell, and I could hear one of the Death Eaters behind me fall to the ground. I wasn't sure if he was dead or not, and I wasn't about to turn around and find out.

"_Confringo!_" I screamed, exploding one of the chandeliers from the ceiling, watching it crash to the floor and scatter the group, then dodging back into the chaos.

Everything was moving by so quickly, I fell into routine, throwing curses, dodging curses, hoping to any higher power that my friends and family were okay. My head was spinning from adrenaline and probably dehydration, yet I couldn't seem to get out of the Great Hall. Battles had spilled out all over the castle, but I seemed almost drawn to remain in the room.

Salazar Slytherin was still there.

I slipped the ring Dumbledore gave me onto my finger. I knew that to stop everything, I had to stop him. _I shouldn't have lost Potter. I hope he's keeping Voldemort busy._ I made my way towards Salazar Slytherin, who was not only commanding his troops with ferocity, but shooting out frightening, violent spells of his own. I found myself frozen for a moment, staring up at him in an odd sort of shell shock. _Can I do this?_

"Come on, my tasty treat!" Fenrir Greyback roared, catching my attention as he grabbed me by the arms. His mouth watering, he stared down at me as if he was going to devour me that moment.

"_Avada Kedavra!_" The emerald blast hit Fenrir right in the skull. I watched him fall to the ground in a heap, the blood running from my face.

Salazar had noticed me by that point, however. There was no time to bother with anyone else. I pointed my wand at him, but I didn't know what to do. _Do I have the nerve to kill him? Even after all he's done… I'm… I'm afraid. I'm afraid and I'm alone. I'm all alone._ He was coming at me faster, faster, the gleam in his eyes saying more words than I could ever read. My hand was shaking. My whole body was shaking. And yet, I could do nothing.

"You're going to pay with your blood, you little shit," Slytherin hissed, his wand ready.

My eyes widened.

"_Avada Kedavra!_"

(Severus Snape)

The Malfoy's Floo, as I expected, was ready to be travelled. It had, however, taken quite a bit of time to get past the Aurors at the door. Mrs. Weasley and Lupin actually had to step in before we got inside. Aurors could be ridiculously stubborn. I agreed to go through first to make sure it was safe for the others to come through. On the other side, I was rather surprised with what I found.

What was once Dumbledore's office, and then Slytherin's office, had been practically destroyed. Objects were thrown and strewn all over the floor. Curtains were ripped down. Glass was shattered. And in the middle of it all, in a crying heap on the floor, sat Narcissa Malfoy.

"Cissa," I breathed.

"Oh, Severus!" she cried out, rushing to me, her sapphire, tattered gown flying behind her in a swirl. She wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my chest. "Severus… I… I don't know what to do."

"Shh," I cooed, running a hand through her hair. "I've brought help."

I pulled away reluctantly and walked over to the fireplace, tossing a touch of Floo powder onto the fire. "All clear."

With a quick _whoosh_, the others appeared in the fireplace, dusting ashes off of their clothes. Narcissa tensed up. I could sense it. I turned to her. "It's all right. They're going to help us."

Narcissa's lips were still thin. I sighed. "Mrs. Weasley has been taking care of your son."

She looked at Molly with large, azure eyes. "Oh…"

She stepped up to her, a long moment passing as she looked down to the shorter woman. Molly furrowed her brows, waiting for a snide comment. Narcissa burst into tears.

"Thank you so much… for being so good to my son."

Surprised, Mrs. Weasley nodded, looking a little beside herself.

For the first time, the two mothers embraced. I sighed.

"I hate to break this up, but… Cissa. Have you seen your son?"

"Yes," she nodded, sniffling. "But he stormed out. Lucius went after him. I don't know what's happened. I've… been too afraid to leave."

"You don't have to if you don't want to," I said, holding her at arm's length. "I will go retrieve Draco for you-"

"He doesn't want to see me, Severus. He's ashamed of me, and he's angry at me. I've been a horrible mother to him!"

I gave her a sympathetic look, and I could feel Nymphadora's eyes watching me curiously. "No you haven't, Narcissa. He was angry and he said things he didn't mean. Now, he needs our help."

She nodded, sniffing. "Yes…" She pulled away from me, then moved past me to the door. "I want to go help my son."

The group began to make their way out the door, wands ready. Nymphadora lagged behind a little. I glanced at her.

"Is there any reason you're lagging, Nymphadora?"

"What's going on?"

"A little late to be asking that-"

"Between you and Narcissa."

I paused. "Nothing."

She raised her eyebrows at me. "Sure." She walked past, though she didn't look either happy or unhappy. "Just watch yourself, Sev. It's foolish to be messing around with a married woman."

"I… I'm not---" I growled. "She still loves Lucius, okay?"

"But…" she whirled around at me, that mischievous look upon her features. "You still like her."

"It doesn't matter anymore." I shoved past her. "You should catch up with Remus. He'll worry about you being back here with me."

As we descended the staircase, we descended into hell. Spells and hexes were immediately being tossed about, almost carelessly. Such was the way of battle. It reminded me so much of the past war, that I could feel the cold fear still present in my gut. I yanked my wand from my robes and pointed it at the nearest Death Eater.

"_Sectumsempra!_" The Death Eater cried out, and I could see blood pouring from his head and chest. The attack was gruesome, but necessary.

"_Incendio!_" I could hear Narcissa behind me, setting fire to one of the Death Eater's robes.

"Try to get some information!" I yelled back at her.

"TELL ME WHERE MY SON IS!" she demanded, slamming her wand into one of the attackers ribs. "I will kill you, so help me!"

I whirled to the direction the Great Hall. "Cissa! I think it's this way!"

The Order managed to clear through the crowd, toward the Great Hall doors.

"Severus!"

I turned. "Albus?" Sure enough, there was Dumbledore, right next to me. "Albus! Where are the children?"

He shook his head. "I have been fighting many, Severus, only catching glimpses of the children." He looked rather ashamed of himself.

"Stay with the Order. We don't need you dying on us." I shoved my way into the Great Hall, which had cleared quite a bit. The air felt a little freer – but the fear was still thick.

The first thing I saw was the flash of green light. The first thing I heard was Narcissa scream out.

_…No…_

_**End Chapter Twenty-Three**_


	24. Chapter 24

_**Chapter Twenty-Four**_

_Spin me 'round again,  
And rub my eyes,  
This can't be happening.  
-Imogen Heap_

(Draco Malfoy)

I knew that I had heard it. I knew that I had seen it. I couldn't understand why I hadn't felt it. Everything seemed to have slowed down, a chilling wind blowing around me from the shift in action. Everyone had stopped. Death Eaters and Order members gazed upon the scene in shock.

"NO!" My mother's scream.

Then, before me, I saw my father, almost falling in slow motion. I reached out for him with a pale, shaking hand, only to watch him fall to the floor. Salazar Slytherin's wand broke in half, and there was a burning in my forehead that made me wail.

But it wasn't the burning that was really hurting me.

I think, by that point, I would have preferred that he didn't love me at all. It wasn't worth the pain of knowing that he did. I fell to my knees by the heap of my father, rolling him over to look him in the face. I was so angry. I was so hurt.

"You can't do this!" I screamed out. "How dare you! Just insult me, why don't you! Just hurt me, why don't you! Please, Father. Don't… DON'T!"

"H-how… my wand." Slytherin seemed in more shock than the entirety of the room, but at the moment, I couldn't really care.

Tears poured from my eyes, the floodgates open.

_"Don't try to play the hero now, father. I'm done running. I'm here to fight back. It's what you should have done years ago."_

I couldn't believe that those words had been the last he would hear from me. I held the lifeless form of Lucius Malfoy in my arms. My father was dead. My father was dead. My father was dead.

And it was all my fault.

"I _told you not to play the hero!_"

"_**LUCIUS!**_" My mother was screaming, over and over, being held back by Severus and Mrs. Weasley, only to collapse to the floor and sob.

My father was dead.

I gazed up at Slytherin with blank eyes, then stood, feeling lost and alone. "You… you killed him."

Slytherin smirked. "Actually, my boy, I believe you did."

"Shut up, Slytherin!" I could hear Harry's voice from behind me, but it seemed so very far away.

The burning in my forehead subsided slightly, and my fingers quietly moved to it, tracing the mark that lay there. A lightning bolt.

So Harry Potter and I were more alike now than ever. I never hated it as much as I did at that moment.

There was a fatal flaw in our likeness, however. Harry Potter was noble. In the end, I was fairly sure I couldn't say the same. I stepped up the Slytherin, lifted my wand, and said, quite simply, _"Avada Kedavra."_ He went down as if he was as human as the rest of us.

I never looked up. I never regretted the spell. I never forgot killing him. I never forgot the look on my father's face, completely washed away of life.

I was fairly sure I looked just like him.

I _was_ just like him.

"Draco! Draco, come on! We need to go! There's still a fight going on! Draco!" Harry was screaming in my ear. How long had I been standing there? I had no idea. "_DRACO!_"

I turned my head to him slowly, and he could see the scar that matched his own. He shushed immediately, gazing at it as so many others had gazed upon him.

"Oh…" he whispered, his emerald eyes shining, fresh with unshed tears. He knew how it felt – the guilt that love put upon anyone. Or at least, that's what I believed it to be.

The Death Eaters were retreating – they'd had too many important casualties. Now that Lord Voldemort had taken control again, he was more than likely against doing something so foolish as Slytherin had done. It was then that I realized that Harry had been yanking me out of firing range for quite some time. I'd received quite a few hexes that I couldn't recall. Standing in the middle of the battlefield… that didn't seem too foolish. Not with how I was feeling…

"We need to get out of here," he said.

"I'm not leaving," I replied, looking down at my father's body. "Not without him."

"Draco-"

"He's my father, Harry," I looked at him, a small bubble of emotion creeping through my numbness. "What would you do?"

Harry helped me lift the body with magic and I moved it along as he protected us both.

The battle ended. I didn't feel like I had won anything.

And there was still a war to be fought.

(Harry Potter)

Draco and Narcissa Malfoy were taken away for questioning almost immediately after the battle, and the Order returned to their respective houses. A gloom had been cast over the group as an entirety – Voldemort was still alive, and the battle wasn't over. Days passed, and I hadn't heard one word from Draco. Ginny and I both were getting clearly fidgety – and even a little cruel in our stress. My temper snapped rather easily, and I could vaguely recall Ginny throwing a book at my head in one particular argument over nothing.

It was over a week before I received any word of him – an invitation to Lucius Malfoy's funeral. I stared at the invitation, numb, unsure of what to do. Hedwig squawked angrily and I fed her a treat absent-mindedly, falling onto my bed, gazing at the ceiling. My fingers ran across the lightning-bolt-shaped scar on my forehead, and I couldn't erase the picture in my mind of Draco Malfoy turning to me with that very same mark. It was almost insulting – the ultimate proof that Lucius Malfoy loved his son being shown only in his passing.

I was starting to think "Tis better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all," was bullshit.

…

The senior Malfoy's funeral was smaller than I originally expected, held in the garden outside Malfoy Manor. After all, even though Lucius was a Death Eater, he was rather popular among the rich, pureblood wizards. Then again, most of those wizards were believed to be Death Eaters as well, and with the Malfoy family practically being _blood-traitors_ to them, it wasn't surprising to see only a small group of people there. The first person I caught sight of was Narcissa Malfoy, looking like a dark bride, draped in black lace and a Victorian dress. Her long blonde locks were pulled away from her face, almost stuffed messily under black hat that helped to cascade the veil over her shoulders. Her face was stony, almost reserved. She was a shell of her former self.

Snape was next to her, looking particularly ashamed of himself, wearing his usual robes and his hair yanked back off his neck. I wasn't particularly sure as to why he held the expression, but he couldn't seem to conceal it as well as he usually did. These were sad times – no one would notice unless they knew him well. Ginny kept her head down as we made our way to the ornate, black, metal chairs, set viewing the casket. Hermione and Ron were holding hands and trudging a bit behind us. Still, as the group of Order members made their way forward, I still hadn't laid eyes on Draco Malfoy. My eyes scanned the small crowd, looking for a glimpse of that white-blonde hair, but the only one among them that was even close was his corpse-like mother. I looked at Ginny. She was doing the same thing.

"I'm going to go inside. I'll be back."

Malfoy Manor was elaborate and strangely golden in the pale sunlight of the morning. I could hardly believe that such dark activities had taken place within its walls. The large, ornate staircase was the main focus of the foyer, stretching forward and pulling the eye up to the golden clock near the top. I felt a bit overwhelmed with the size and detail of the place, but sure enough, I was being pulled up the stairs and toward the bedrooms. Something was calling me there. I assumed that Draco and I may have had a connection built between our matching scars – but I doubt he ever felt the same. I curled around a hallway, creeping up on a door that, though was the same as everything else, seemed to stand out amongst the large collection of Malfoy doors.

I stood outside, listening to the sound of water running, rather far away, for a moment. Then, I knocked. There was a pregnant pause and the sound of shuffling feet. Then the door was pulled open slowly, and Draco Malfoy stood before me.

He was dressed in his finest dress robes, black with emerald stitching, but I had never seen him look worse. He was haggard almost, slumping against the doorframe with dark crescents looming under his silver eyes, making them even grayer and remnants of the battle the week before still present on his face. His hair hung messily down in his eyes, clearly a sign that he did not want his proud, Malfoy forehead shown. Though I had matted my hair down on occasion to avoid the awkward stares, Malfoy clearly had no intention of anyone even _knowing_ he had received the lightning bolt scar. He cast dead-looking eyes on me.

"You came."

"Did you expect me not to?"

He gave a heartbreaking smile. "Not in particularly. My father wasn't a very good friend of yours."

"But you are," I responded quickly, feeling guilt welling in my gut. "I knew you invited me because you needed someone here for you today."

Draco turned away, leaving his door open to allow me entrance into his bedroom. With the rest of the mansion being so golden, I was rather surprised to find his room so silver, decked out in emerald tapestries, black bed sheets, with almost everything with a small silver flare to it. To the left was a bathroom door and a closet, but I paid no mind to it. Draco dragged himself over to a large picture window, the sunlight, rather than shining upon him, giving him a sort of ethereal glow. He sighed, pressing his long-fingered, delicate hand against the glass, looking out over the garden.

"I guess you're right. This all happened so fast. I… don't think I've quite realized everything yet."

I swallowed, stepping over to him gingerly. Draco seemed rather unstable, and it worried me.

"…You alright?"

Draco never looked away from the casket below. "I… don't know."

I put a hand on his shoulder, staring down with him. "You will be…"

"Maybe."

There was a long silence. Draco's face screwed up for a moment, and a couple of silent tears slipped down his cheeks.

"I told him not to play the hero. I told him it was too late."

"He was your father. He did it because he loved you."

"Well, that's a _hell of a way of showing it,_" Draco snapped his head at me, looking more distraught than I had seen when Blaise had died. "By quickly just dying away! It's not fair! He just shucks off all of his responsibilities, all of his family, just so I can live and suffer with his consequences! Since when is that fair?!"

I fidgeted slightly, nervous with Malfoy's anxious energy. "I don't suppose it is, Draco. But… love is… selfish."

Draco ran a hand through his hair, the scar getting a brief glimpse of light before the light blonde locks fell back down on his forehead. "It is. I want to be selfish now. I want good things to happen to _me_. Is that wrong?"

I shook my head. "I know what you mean, Draco. Life's just… not that easy. And the war's not over."

The sky was already starting to cloud up, blocking the pale rays of the sun. Draco bowed his head, his forehead touching the chilly glass of the window.

"Not for you, Potter. But it is for me."

I was stunned. "W-what?"

"I… I can't do this anymore. I just can't do it."

"Draco, you've got to reconsider! The Order needs you-"

"No, they don't," Draco cut in, his voice harsh and hoarse. "The Death Eaters ranks were reduced by at least half in that last battle. The Order should have no problem taking them down without me." He turned to me again. "Look at me, Potter. I'm no fighter. I never have been. I'm a smooth talker, but I'm more bark than I am bite. And now… I'm paying for it." He face grew grim. "My father is dead. My best friend is dead. I killed the man that killed them. I don't want to _do_ this anymore. I don't want anyone else to die, but I don't want to kill anyone to prevent that from happening. It's… it's _hypocrisy!_"

I nodded slowly. "I… understand. Please… at least think of reconsidering."

Draco never responded. "The funeral's starting."

"Come on," I replied softly.

We walked down to the garden together.

_**End Chapter Twenty-Four**_

(Author's Note: I seem to have an affinity for killing Lucius in my stories….. Whoops? For the record, I don't hate Lucius anymore – I used to, but he's grown on me as a character. Anyway, I imagine we have about one or two chapters left before this little diddy is complete. This chapter seems a little rushed to me at the beginning, but I think that's kind of how battle would feel. I don't know. Maybe I'm just rambling.)


	25. Chapter 25

_**Chapter Twenty-Five**_

_If you need to leave the world you live in  
Lay your head down and stay awhile  
though you may not remember dreaming  
Something waits for you to breathe again  
-Evanescence_

(Draco Malfoy)

The rain seemed suiting for the day. Every funeral I had ever been to (which had only been a few), it had rained, so I expected it. My forehead was still burning, a constant reminder that I had been saved.

…A constant reminder that I had killed in vengeance…

I hadn't spoken to Harry Potter before that day. In all honesty, I was worried what he thought of me. Did he think less of me for what I'd done? I was given the option to be noble like him, and I killed without a second thought. Most would probably have argued that he deserved it for killing my father, but, did that make me any better than him? I didn't think so. I had decided that war was definitely not for me. Watching my father die in front of me had made up my mind quite easily. I shuddered at the thought of running in so brave, and then leaving as such a coward.

And yet, I could do nothing to change how I felt.

I took a seat next to my mother, not looking at her. In fact, I was rather sure that I had yet to make eye-contact with her after the fight in Dumbledore's office. I wasn't sure if I was ashamed or her or of myself. Harry sat on my right.

The ceremony began.

Harry clasped a hand on my shoulder. I bowed my head.

It was one of the last times I allowed myself to cry in front of anyone.

…

Hogwarts was reopened a week after my father's funeral, and was planned to stretch a bit into summer in order to finish classes that were missed when it was attacked. Many students grumbled how it wasn't their fault that it happened, but I figured they'd gotten enough of a break, and didn't really see why they were complaining. I, on the other hand, seemed to almost float through the halls of Hogwarts, a ghost of my own sorts, though not along the lines of Nearly Headless Nick or the Bloody Baron. Hogwarts was carrying too many memories for me. Everywhere I turned, I saw my father's pale, dead face, or Slytherin's fiery eyes, or even the shine of the _Avada Kedavra_ that was meant for me. I shuddered.

Not one person in Slytherin had anything to say to me. Some blamed me for Pansy Parkinson's untimely death (and I did too, to a degree), and others were simply afraid of me. I wasn't really giving the impression that I wanted to be talked to anyway. Dumbledore's Army was still meeting, planning for the next battle that would probably end the war as a whole, and I had been invited to a meeting. I didn't go. I didn't want to go. To go to that meeting meant I wanted to fight. I didn't want to fight. Not anymore. I crept around the corner of a corridor, heading back to the dungeons for the evening after classes when someone grabbed the hood of my cloak. I turned lazily in the direction of the grabber.

Harry looked rather upset. "We had a meeting."

"I told you, I'm not doing this anymore."

Harry punched me in the jaw, and I could feel it already beginning to bruise.

"You're just going to give up?!"

I shook my head. "Not in the least."

"Then why don't you fight?"

"I already told you." I closed my eyes and opened them slowly. "Call it… conscientious objecting."

Harry seethed. "You're chickening out!"

"No, I am _not_," I finally raised my voice. I hadn't spoken much above a mumble in weeks. "Look, just because your parents happened to die _before_ you knew them doesn't make you any better than me for wanting to _do_ something about it. This isn't _my_ battle, Potter. It's yours. I already told you – I can't _do this anymore_."

"But-"

"I'm leaving," I finally stated, clearly and coldly. It reverberated off the cobblestone walls.

"…What?"

"I didn't want to come right out and tell you," I said softly, stepping over to him and guiding him further down the corridor. "I… thought about it a lot. Really, I did. I need to leave. I'm not fighting the war. I'm not even going to be involved in it, because, face it, Potter – no matter what side I'm on, someone is going to hurt people I care about. I'm stuck in the middle of this battle between Death Eaters and Order Members, and I know who I would choose, but I don't even want the option. I just want to leave."

Harry was a cross between infuriated and depressed. "…But… where… will you go?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I imagine I'll hang around Muggle London for awhile, travel and such."

Harry stammered. "B-but. No! You can't! We need you!"

I placed both my hands on his shoulder and looked him in the eyes. "Harry. I'm done. Okay?"

Harry's face screwed up, and I could see a couple of tears trying to well in his eyes. "S-so that's it, eh? Just going to leave us? Just like that?"

I gave him a sorrowful smile. "Yes. Just like that."

And with that, I pulled him into an embrace, clinging to him for just a few moments. "But I will miss you all. Please understand that it has nothing to do with you."

Harry nodded. "I understand. I don't have to like it though."

I pulled back and grabbed Harry's hand, placing something in his palm. "Hang on to it for me. You will have to return it to me one day. "

I walked away.

(Narcissa Malfoy)

Severus sat across the long dining table, gazing at me, as if he was waiting for something… anything from me. And I honestly had no idea what I was going to say to him. He folded his long, bony fingers, looking at me through a dark veil of hair, sighing.

He actually spoke first. "I know what you're thinking. I can see it in your eyes."

I bit my lip. "Oh… oh really, Severus?" Well, I spoke. That was a start.

He nodded. "You made a mistake."

I looked down at the table only to see that my hands were shaking. "I… might have."

"You did. I did. We lost focus. We got selfish. Use whatever excuse you want. Either way, in the end, you still love your late husband, and your son, who has not spoken to you since, has probably been onto us for a long time. He hasn't said much to me either – or anyone for that matter."

"I know. I…" I let a few tears roll down my cheeks, and I was getting used to them by that point. "I can't believe that I put myself before my son. It's the entire reason I asked for your help, Severus… and look what's happened." I sobbed. "And I still love Lucius! But I don't know why!"

There was a long silence between the two of us, and then Severus finally stood up.

"Cissa, I don't regret my choices I made with you. I made them of my own free will, and though they may have been reckless and idiotic, they were my choices nonetheless. I have tried not to regret many choices I have made… not since…" he shook his head. "Nevermind. My point stands. Cissa, I understand your grief, and I will be there for you and your son until the world comes to an end."

I sniffed, still unable to look at him.

"I'm leaving now," he said softly. "I hope… perhaps, that one day, we can pick up where we left off." As he walked past, he kissed my hand, then disappeared from my vision.

"Maybe," I whispered to the room.

(Harry Potter)

Draco Malfoy disappeared the day before graduation. I was rather shocked that he didn't bother to at least get his diploma of sorts from Hogwarts, but perhaps he wanted to take the opportunity to leave when no one was really paying any attention to him specifically. I could see Ginny looking for him with big brown eyes, and when she realized he wasn't there, she curled up in the chair between Fred and George and seemed a little lost. Hermione was upon the stage at the moment, the valedictorian, not to anyone's surprise.

"Crazy, isn't it, mate?" Ron whispered to me as Hermione gave her expected speech to the crowd. "School is over."

I nodded. "But we've got a lot more to do."

There was something very bittersweet about the day, and the clouds were rolling in the sky, ready for a thunderstorm later that night. I closed my eyes. _I certainly hope you know what you're doing, Malfoy… and I hope you're safe._

I reached into the pocket of my robes and clasped my fingers around the cold metal ring he had left me – Salazar Slytherin's ring. _"Hang on to it for me. You will have to return it to me one day. "_ I knew what he meant. He was telling me to stay alive, and I was certain he wouldn't take it back from anyone but me.

It'd been a hell of a year. As upset as I was at Draco for leaving, I was finally beginning to understand why he made his choice. Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, Lucius Malfoy, Salazar Slytherin – Draco was involved in all four deaths. _To lose that many people, and then to commit a crime like that… it'd scare anyone away._ Not to mention that Aurors were constantly investigating Malfoy Manor. Narcissa Malfoy seemed to have taken an oath of silence in order to protect her late husband's dignity, and perhaps her own as well. She had not shown at graduation. I assumed Draco had let her know that he was leaving in some form or fashion – perhaps a letter, or maybe she walked into his room to find it completely empty.

It was rather depressing to think about it.

I had a dream that night. Draco Malfoy and I were standing on opposite sides of a room, the surface of the floor a reflective pool of water. And yet… there was something very calming about it. I could see strength in the young Malfoy's eyes, and, somehow, I knew that he had made the right decision.

Godric Gryffindor stood between us.

"Sometimes true bravery is being able to walk away from the fight, Harry. In this next battle, you will face many foes. Be aware that killing is not always the answer."

So Draco was right in some cases, and wrong in others.

He was no Gryffindor, that was for sure. But then again, that's why he was sorted into Slytherin. He had made his choices, and I had made mine. I knew, either way he would support me, and when Gryffindor vanished in front of us, there he stood, with a soft but regal smile on his face.

He waved goodbye.

I woke up.

"Goodbye… for now."

My dreams were always strange. I suppose we both had a hell of an imagination.

_**End Chapter Twenty-Five  
.End.**_

(Author's Note: So, this is the end. I was having difficulty finding a place to actually end it, but I kind of like where it stopped. I will say this now – there will not be a sequel – maybe a one-shot spinoff if I feel like it. Sorry if that bothers you! XD I don't think it's necessarily a happy ending, but it looks toward the future. I really don't think I even know where Draco's headed off to, but I'm sure he'll return to the Wizarding World… one day. Anyway, I really want to thank you all SO MUCH for reading, and for all your kind reviews! I love you all, and please be well aware, that I'll probably have another HP fanfic rolling right out soon. If you guys have any questions that you desperately need resolved, you're welcome to ask! Lol! Thanks, again!)


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